I know how easy it is to pick up your phone and check that text message, or lack there-of. I know how easy it is to stay glued to twitter quoting, retweeting, liking. I know how easy it is to spend over 15 minutes viewing everyone’s snap chat story.
I know how easy it is to be six people deep stalking someone you’ve never even heard of at this point on Instagram, liking photo after photo, exploring everyone and their mother’s page. I know how easy it is to check Facebook even though the only reason you really use that is to stay connected with family. But do you realize that the ease of all of these actions means that it’s just that easy to ignore the world around you?
Look up.
Did you miss a smile from a friend you haven’t seen in a while because you were watching a 30 second video? How many times have you forgotten to do something because you got too distracted going on a stupid liking spree on your best friends Instagram? I’d like to say that I’m not guilty of any of this but that would be a lie.
While I may be guilty of all of the above, I’m also known to take my boyfriend’s phone out of his hand mid-text and put it on the table next to mine so we can enjoy the presence of each other and our friends.
I’m known to ignore text messages for so long that I forget about it until I realize two weeks later that I haven’t responded because I’m too busy enjoying the real world. I’m notorious for having my phone on “do not disturb” mode for hours at a time with every intention of forgetting that anyone is trying to talk to me.
This isn’t me ignoring people because they’re annoying or because I don’t care and this isn’t me trying to prove myself to anyone or make myself seem entitled because I’m too good to reply to their text. This is me trying to live my life in front of my phone screen rather than behind it.
Social media is a great thing if you’re using it the right way; using it the right way is not checking 15 times every day and it isn’t posting at 6am so that your photo is the first thing anyone sees when they wake up so you’re guaranteed a boat-load of likes.
Using it right is using it to reach out to old friends, to empower others and encourage, to connect with and meet people that share similar interests, to share with your followers and friends the life that you are living to a great extent while your phone is out of sight out of mind.
I challenge you to turn your phone off the next time you go out. Enjoy what is around you and maybe those around you who are continuously refreshing their feeds for nothing, will recognize that you haven’t touched your phone and further be encouraged to not check theirs.
It saddens me that what I’ve just suggested will be a genuine challenge for a lot of people but for those people who feel it’s too challenging, imagine how much more of a good time you could have at dinner with your friends if you’re actually talking, reminiscing, enjoying the presence of each other.
Imagine that, and take off with it.
Turn off your phone, see what happens.
