I intend to be more mindful of how I begin my day because, if I’m honest, the first thing I tend to do after waking in the morning is grab my phone and check my emails! Even though there is never going to be anything so ‘urgent’ that it can’t wait a couple of hours (or else a phone call would have been a more appropriate option) I still feel that pull to make sure. It is the curse of modern technology – it installs a sense of urgency within our brains, triggering a survival response – “I have to check or else I might miss something important and x, y, z may happen” and of course this is reinforced by 24/7 alerts and notifications, which thankfully I have turned off, except for WhatsApp. It is all designed to keep us addicted, anxious, tuned in, constantly checking, and all the while our mental health deteoriates. Well, for many it does.
I have been aware of this for some time but never quite managed to get out of the habit of checking because it’s simply ‘the norm’ now by society’s standards. There is a fear of missing out if one does not check. And this plays on a deep rooted fear of not belonging, being abandoned, not part of the world. In spiritual terms, we can say it’s a disconnection from one’s own soul and becoming lost in the ego. Any addiction is ultimately a disconnection from one’s own soul. Modern technology, if not used mindfully and carefully, feeds the ego, leading to greater fear, separation, and mental illness.
I have resolved to put off checking my emails until I have taken my dog out, eaten my breakfast, meditated, and read inspiring posts on WordPress and other sources. Moreover, as soon as I wake, I am listening to relaxing music on Spotify, to put me in the right frame of mind to begin my day and facilitate a sense of peace and calm. Anything else can wait until I am ready to deal with it.
Small changes lead to big improvements. All it takes is awareness and a little motivation to begin.
My Inner Light 