I will be the first to admit that it takes some time to get used to the idea of putting your phone down. It somehow always has to be within reaching distance or we need to feel it in our pocket otherwise we feel like we are missing a part of us. We check our phones constantly. Did we get a message? How about any Snapchats or Facebook messages? It also becomes a way for us to deal with any anxious or nervous situations that we are put in. If we are out and we feel uncomfortable, we grab our phones and pretend we are busy so we can avoid having to communicate with those around us. But here’s the thing, by constantly being on our phones we are missing moments of our lives that could have otherwise been monumental.

My biggest pet peeve is when people are on their phones when you are with them. It makes it seem like you're uninterested with the people around you. Not to mention the fact that it's actually kind of rude when you pull out your phone mid conversation. Is there something more important going on that you need to deal with at this moment or are you just bored? By looking at your phone you are ignoring possible opportunities to meet new people, gather new information or see breathtaking views. So put the phone down and talk to the person next to you. Or stop taking pictures to share with your followers, and share that moment with the people around you.

People are constantly looking at the world through their tiny 4.7-inch screen. Then they post a picture to get likes, because apparently likes make us feel better about who we are as a person. We need to stop doing things that we think will get a ton of likes or retweets and we need to start taking in these moments and doing things that we enjoy doing.

“Climb the mountain not to plant your flag, but to embrace the challenge, enjoy the air and behold the view. Climb it so you can see the world, not so the world can see you.” - David McCullough Jr.

It's apparently easier to share our emotions through emojis and emoticons than to really share how we feel. We type "lol" and "lmao", but are we even laughing? People get into fights with their friends or significant others because texts don't translate the same way as real face-to-face conversations. Imagine the relationships people would have it they did their fighting in person. People wouldn't be so stubborn and there wouldn't be any "let me ignore their message" or "Read 10:25 PM" with no response.

Just think about all the opportunities to meet new people that we've missed because we were too busy pretending to be busy. I can't even count the number of times where I've gotten into an elevator and everyone is on their phone scrolling just to avoid conversation. Or when you're walking past someone and you don't want to make eye contact because that can be "awkward". Nowadays smiling and saying hi to a stranger is known as creepy and no longer polite, but it's acceptable on the internet.

From now on we should make a more conscious effort to live in the moment and take in the world around us. Do things because you like them and not because it will go with your Instagram theme. Smartphones and apps don't measure your self worth, so stop stressing about your like to minute ratio on your latest selfie and start being present in your life. Try to part with your phone when you're out and leave it in your pocket or purse. Start living your life the way it was meant to be because our phones will always be here, but our friends and family won't.