Try This at a Coffee Shop

We are addicted to our screens. Just observe those around you at the airport, the restaurant, or your kitchen table. We’re constantly gazing into our screens, scrolling through endless data and images yet never finding whatever we think will fill our souls.

We’ve forgotten how to sit, think, breathe, and savor our surroundings. We see anyone who does as the weird ones. Which is why I love this social media meme so much.

“I saw a guy at a coffee shop today. He had no smartphone, tablet, or laptop. He just sat there drinking coffee. Like a psychopath.”

It’s funny…and it’s painfully true. But we can choose a different path.

Next time you’re at a coffee shop, especially if you’re by yourself, set aside your technology and simply be present. Notice the taste of the coffee. Take in the aroma, music, and sounds around you. Don’t do anything productive.

Even better, the next time you’re at dinner with family or friends, leave your phone in a drawer or the car. Be fully present to those around you…even if they’re lost in their phones. Notice if you get restless when someone gets up for a moment and it’s just you at the table…without your phone to distract you.

Losing our addiction to technology is a process that begins with small everyday choices to choose the real over the artificial.

One last thought. If today’s reading resonated, take a moment now to email or share it with a fellow creative, friend or family member who could use the encouragement.

Want More?
Order your copy of Risk the Real