March 5th: what do you want more of?
To be honest, I didn't have to think too long or hard about this one. Something I want in abundance in my life is quality time. Quality time in all shapes and forms. Quality time with my friends, with my family, with myself, with art, in nature, at day and at night and anywhere in the world. That is not to say that I don't share special moments with people in my life as it is. However, I find more and more these days that when I stop and tune in to how I am feeling at a particular time, there always seems to be something else distracting me from being in the present. I come home from school eager to relax from the day's activity, yet my head feels as though it is whirring and buzzing, deep in the process of building up a humongous to-do list for the next day's lessons. I sit at the wheel - watching the road, obviously - but at the same time mentally calculating my meals for the week, or what household tasks I must begin the minute I land in the door, instead of admiring the view or taking in whatever song is playing or whatever topic is being discussed on the radio.
But not all blame should be apportioned to me. Friends of mine, as well as some family members, can negatively impact on what I perceive as my quality time with them by being glued to their phones mid-conversation. I try not to look at my phone when I'm hanging out with someone, as I just perceive this as rude? Very different if what you're doing with the phone is showing them a funny video or picture, or ordering some takeout for later. That's totally understandable. But it's another thing if I'm trying to flesh out a particular topic with you, and you're more interested in scanning through people's stories on Instagram. Not cool, m8.
I undertook a mindfulness course over the summer that focused on meditation as an educational tool, but there were heaps of benefits for me personally too. I try and tap in to my senses and my breathing more as a way of grounding me in each moment and really appreciating its unique quality. Now, it's a lot easier said than done, but those times where I've truly given myself to whatever or whoever is in front of me are the times I carry with me. I remember vividly laying on the sandy beach in the beautiful Portuguese town of Cascais, surrounded by my college classmates, drinking in the sun-soaked ocean view and whispering to myself, "this is truly amazing." I will never forget how chilling out in my room and listening to Seth Andrews' podcast The Thinking Atheist made me stop and ask myself some challenging philosophical questions. Days spent in Dingle or Killarney with my family are days I will always cherish.
We should never become so consumed in our to-do lists and our technology that we fail to set time aside to have quality interactions with ourselves and with those we love. You read it here first.
But not all blame should be apportioned to me. Friends of mine, as well as some family members, can negatively impact on what I perceive as my quality time with them by being glued to their phones mid-conversation. I try not to look at my phone when I'm hanging out with someone, as I just perceive this as rude? Very different if what you're doing with the phone is showing them a funny video or picture, or ordering some takeout for later. That's totally understandable. But it's another thing if I'm trying to flesh out a particular topic with you, and you're more interested in scanning through people's stories on Instagram. Not cool, m8.
I undertook a mindfulness course over the summer that focused on meditation as an educational tool, but there were heaps of benefits for me personally too. I try and tap in to my senses and my breathing more as a way of grounding me in each moment and really appreciating its unique quality. Now, it's a lot easier said than done, but those times where I've truly given myself to whatever or whoever is in front of me are the times I carry with me. I remember vividly laying on the sandy beach in the beautiful Portuguese town of Cascais, surrounded by my college classmates, drinking in the sun-soaked ocean view and whispering to myself, "this is truly amazing." I will never forget how chilling out in my room and listening to Seth Andrews' podcast The Thinking Atheist made me stop and ask myself some challenging philosophical questions. Days spent in Dingle or Killarney with my family are days I will always cherish.
We should never become so consumed in our to-do lists and our technology that we fail to set time aside to have quality interactions with ourselves and with those we love. You read it here first.
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