People in the millennial generation grew up with the growth of technology. It makes the world easier, faster and more efficient. Technology, of course, is the simple life. So if cell phones and tablets lead to the simple life, then how come we are missing out on the simple things? Walking down the street, you’re looking down. Down at a tiny screen that explores all the information in the world.

Everything is right at your fingertips, except, of course, the real world. As you’re walking down the street, looking down instead of up, you’re missing out on the things that are actually simple. You’re missing out on the writing in the clouds that planes create for the world to read. You’re missing out on the street performer who makes five dollars a day in his open guitar case, though he’s happy as can be. You’re missing out on the food truck on the corner of 5^th avenue, selling the best tacos you’ve ever tasted.

Most importantly, you’re missing an opportunity to smile at what could be your future best friend, or even husband/wife. So when you’re rushing to work or school, look up instead of down, and experience the things that actually are, in fact, simple.

People are simple. Why should we make plans to get dinner with friends or go on a date when the tiny screen takes over all attention? Cell phones are deceptive machines that make things seem better than they are. How easy it is to give all your attention to something that doesn’t create affection. It’s like having a relationship with a robot when sitting right in front of you, is someone that you could have a true relationship with. Technology is not the simple life. Technology is a simple way to distract from the things that truly matter.

Do you ever crave a vacation? A vacation away from your boss or professors; away from computers or phones, which are the two ways for reality to reach you? That’s called craving the simple life. You’ve engulfed your mind so deeply into the six-figure traditional way of living that it craves to escape. So you take a vacation, maybe to a lake house, or a beach condo, and you free your mind so much that you feel as if you’re almost in a state of hypnosis.

Why give your body a break only a couple weeks out of the year? It’s not fair to your body or your mental state to only experience vacation and simple times so little. Even if you don’t have the time or the ability to escape reality and vacation on a regular basis, there are other ways to free your head to feel separated from machines.

Escaping your reality once in a while is important, but sometimes life really is too hectic to take a long drive far away. That’s okay, but you still must enjoy your surroundings. Wake up early, so much earlier before work or school, and go for a run. Do some yoga even, or just take the time in the morning to stretch your muscles as far as you can reach. Then, make a healthy breakfast. Use fresh fruit or veggies, nothing processed, and make something that will detox your system. Make green tea or coffee and sit on your porch and appreciate the things that you have accomplished and the blessings that have been offered to you, because you have a roof over your head, you’re living healthy, and again you are in a state of hypnosis. This state can be achieved at any time of the day, week, month or year, so long as you look up instead of down