Explore impacts of technology and fast-paced living, and ways to re-establish your life in a holistic and natural light.
The world has grown to become ever more reliant and saturated with technology, high speed services and disconnected expectations of the people living in it. While technology has provided certain values in its aid to move humanity in its advancement, it has at the same time pulled us more distant from others, and even within ourselves.
What appears to be the most frightening and problematic aspect of technology is the level at which it has fragmented people from themselves. People have become zoned into devices and tech (or zoned out I should say), without intent and mindful engagement. It has created a mindset for humans to embody little distinction between original thought and expression, and that of which they consume from technology, mainstream news, social media.
We use our devices without thought most days, most of the time (I too am working to be less involved with my devices). We use our smartphones as alarm clocks, wake up and immediately check our social media apps and emails to feel a personal sense of purpose and connection to others. This is more often done so without intention behind that action, while simultaneously interfacing with an empty, one-sided hologram. We continue our days checking our apps, playing games on the phones, video conferencing, watching YouTube and TikTok mindlessly, using our computers for work, and back to scrolling...scrolling...scrolling...
As a therapist, I have heard some incredible and shocking comments, including, "I wish I had hobbies like those girls on TikTok", while they spend more than 10 hours a day scrolling through various social media apps feeling worse and worse about themselves, sucked in deeper into the apps, a lack of purpose, talent, skill, and even a loss of connection to others creeps into their mindset. This is coming from an incredible 13 year-old girl, who from my perspective has immense potential, but is so trapped in the tech mind. And she is not the first that I've heard stories and experiences of such distance from others and self-hatred in themselves with teens and young adults in this world. This is not just a youthful issue either, it is also an adult one too.
Both adults, youth and children are faced with increasingly unrealistic expectations around work accomplishments, "success", popularity and likes, beauty and appearance, and the list goes on. At the same time, information is passed at the speed of light, where critical and original thinking is squandered in so many more layers of life as tech encroaches itself to be everywhere. As you zoom yourself out you'll begin to have the opportunity to realize that those expectations are nothing but an illusion. I know, I may sound a little woo-woo here, but hold with that thought for a moment, and begin to ask yourself why and where anxiety, stress, expectation for your success and appearance come from. Does it really come from within you, or could it be an external source?
Technology use does not only impact the mind and self expression, but also our physical bodies. The radio-frequencies (EMF's) from constant exposure of using any device, or passing through spaces where there is heavy tech impact interacts with the natural waveforms of our own bodies (as I've outlined in another blog post Understanding EMF's). Reflect on your body and energy level after you have used your technology during the day. You'll probably start to notice how your energy changes with the changes in your tech use and exposure (and yes, that impact includes the effects of having electronics and WiFi in your bedroom as you sleep).
Our bodies are mammalian by nature, which requires us to engage with natural environments, rhythms and activity. As we continue to live and engage in societies that reduce our time outside, while increasing usage of technology, indoor time, florescent lighting, productivity-focused mindsets, traffic, etc. causes us to be in the sympathetic nervous system, which is our fight or flight response, otherwise known as stress and survival. Continuous states of stress and anxiety is a ubiquitous experience as we live in productivity and tech-driven world, causing us to be mostly in that sympathetic state, which inhibits our bodies and our minds to process, digest, rest and be creative or imaginative. In other words, we are not living when constantly stuck in a stress-induced state. When experienced over and over again, our minds can feel high-wired, out of control, distracted, fatigued, angry. With our bodies it turns into dis-ease and somatic issues. Your tech diet matters just as much as your food diet, your exercise, and your relationships.
How do we change when engaged more in nature?
It is increasingly being discussed about the significance of humans and nature synthesizing is essential. Try to remember a time in your life, no matter what age, where you felt calm with nature in any context. Close your eyes as you think about his memory, because there will be so much information there that you might not have been fully conscious of until now. How did your body feel? Where was your mind? How did your mind and your heart feel? Were you happy, creative? Where was your focus during that, or was it focus-less and just present?
The incredible thing about nature is that it is constantly communicating with us in a language that is beyond the spoken one. We receive and exchange energy and nutrients with nature. Humans at their truest are expressive and imaginative beings, here to love and create. What a gift that it is to come into this existence for an opportunity to expand these qualities. Nature (environments, mindsets, people) give us the space to tap into that fully.
When looking at nature's offerings with a more scientific lens, we have seen time in and again that when people engage in nature more they are accessing their parasympathetic states, their rest and digest. In addition, you are pulling in much needed nutrients, like oxygen, vitamin D, and millions of microorganisms that build your immunity. This means that spending time in nature, we are interacting with something that nourishes, soothes, challenges, expands creativity and thought, exchanges wisdoms, activates senses even beyond the five commonly known ones (sight, sounds, smell, taste, touch). Nature is a wisdom. And nature is us.
So then, how do we continue to live our lives in a more natural way?
First we need to recognize that this is a unique journey for each person, and will take many shifts in our mindset, inner explorations, and lifestyle. It is also important to bring awareness to the fact that this level of change in self and lifestyle will be a long and challenging one, bringing its excitements and rewards. With that said, here are some places to start as you begin to integrate a more natural and personal form of self expression.
Evaluate the systems, habits and routines in your life--Take a look at how you wake up in the morning, your routines and habits at breakfast, during the day, at breaks, how your work and home life are set up. Do you use your phone as an alarm clock? What is the first thing you do when you wake up? What is involved in your breakfast routine, are you watching or listening to something, or are you present? How much time are you spending on your phone, your computer, inside, outside? Just begin to look at your daily life, at both big and small habits.
Track how certain habits and tech usage affects your moods, energy, mindset, thoughts--Tracking yourself is not easy, and there is no one way to do this. Just begin to build awareness around your daily life. If you're the kind of person that likes to keep charts and lists, go for it. If you are a person that prefers less organized ways, connect with what works for you. But just be more aware of what's happening as you are doing it. It's a practice, and it takes time.
Ask yourself which habits you are able to adjust or change--Be really honest here, but also gentle. After all, this journey is about you and the only judge here is yourself. Maybe you buy yourself a battery operated alarm clock, or you replace watching TV with breakfast to sitting outside, or read a book or article. It could be taking a walk during your lunch break rather than scrolling through social media. Get creative, and be realistic on what you are going to incrementally change in your daily habits and routines.
Integrate new habits slowly and one at a time--It can feel tempting to want to change everything at once, and feel the motivation for a complete life change. That motivation is beautiful! To be most effective with yourself is to build your new foundation mindfully. You don't build a house in one day, and the same goes for adjusting your lifestyle.
Find ways to be outside and creative more--This will be different for each person. Whether you simply step outside or go for walks once a day, take intense hikes, swims, or play outside, tap into what feels exciting and good for you. Try to increase your time outside, maybe setting an intention each week or month to make it more.
Setbacks happen, explore why--Humans are not perfect, and our experience in this very busy and fast world will undoubtedly cause setbacks as you re-form and re-claim a more natural life. Acknowledge the normalcy of this, being gentle and compassionate with yourself, while at the same time exploring what that's about. Emotions can take the better of us, busy schedules, stress, etc. Examine this, and reorient accordingly.
Connect with the unique things that are truly YOU--This is going to be the really unique part of your journey, connecting back to the truest source of yourself. Humans are faced with the need to fit in and be part of community, which is a good thing, as long as you are being the true expression of your essence.
Technology is not going anywhere, and is on a fast track forward. You are consciousness, a unique being of energy that has the choice to make a journey to understand and connect to your inner essence and personal energy fields. As you begin to leave the law of reaction you begin to enter the law of creation and nature, seated in the core of you. Your lifestyle will make natural changes on its own, but needs the intention from your true voice as you cultivate that seed. Remember, all things start from a thought.
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