Here’s a passage most of us from the city can relate to which I quoted from a book i just read, The Cozy Life: Rediscover the Joy of the Simple Things Through the Danish Concept of Hygge by Pia Edberg.
As technology advances in our modern world, we find ourselves living in a society that moves faster than ever before. We are constantly connected via Wi-Fi or cellular network and check our email and social media accounts frequently.
We can have everything at our fingertips: an email sent from the other side of the world, a movie streamed instantly, money transferred online, a customized music channel, even a date with someone who shares our interests.
Ironically, while we are more connected than we have ever been, and convenience is at an all-time high, we have have grown distracted and disconnected from ourselves. We rarely have a moment to contemplate who we are because we are struggling with information overload. The hours slip by right before our eyes, and we siffer from a loss of personal authenticity.
For those of us who live in the city, we find ourselves always rushing from one place to another, eating on the go, catching transit, and running around between errands. It’s a constant rat race, as we try to make more money so we can afford more things, and then make even more money to be able to keep up with monthly payments and the expectaions of our lifestyle.
It’s easy to feel this pressure; however, such rampant consumeris is not sustainable. We will eventually find ourselves exhausted and feeling like something is missing.
This sort of lifestyle also disconnects us from our true internal creativity and motivation. This system breeds a way of life where our outer actions, experiences, or material possessions are a measurement of how we compare to our peers. In doing so, this competitive way of life devalues our inner honesty and integrity, making us only as good as the image we portray.
There was even a time when I kept switching through different screens every other minute, even when I didn’t have any specific activity for each. Why? Because my brain felt like it was in overdrive, telling my hands they have to be busy all the time, and my mind to check each mobile device so I would not miss anything. I feel like I shouldn’t miss anything, even when it doesn’t really matter.
I’m caught in the busyness illusion.
And it takes acknowledgment to get out of the sick cycle of wanting to stay in the loop, even when the things that make us human happen outside of it — in moments when our minds are allowed to think, contemplate, and reflect.
jessa 