Sit/Stand and Do Nothing.

I have found immense value in fighting against my inclination to pull out my phone every time there is a “pause” in my day.

Prior to the advent of cell phones (and social media in particular), people spent more time simply being - whether that be standing in line at the grocery store or stopped at a red light, folks were more often “with” themselves as opposed to anxiously trying to transport somewhere else using their social media feed. Less time really “being with yourself” equals less time processing what is happening on a day to day basis, less time figuring out what your values are and what brings you joy, and just basically less time figuring out who you are.

I think for folks looking for direction in their life, scrolling as a “space-filler” is particularly detrimental. Beyond the aforementioned issue of minimizing “time with yourself”, the consistent consumption of other folks’ lives/lifestyles via social media works to confuse people looking to align their day to day actions with deeper/truer aspects of the Self.

Truly “being” somewhere has opened up an opportunity for a conversation or a smile. It is also empowering to know I can stand/sit comfortably somewhere without the adult teddy bear tucked safely in my palm. Finally, working against my inclination to pull my phone out every time it feels “awkward” to just stand/sit/wait is a fantastic way to flex some self-discipline - a practice that has positively carried over to other lifestyle related decision making.