I’ll admit, I’m one of them. I am addicted to my mobile device. I mean, they do so much now – play great music, remind you to do things and even find that awesome little coffee shop just around the corner. Information can be as addictive as sugar. I feel like I’m constantly checking email or my schedule to see what’s next on my to do list. I’m sure you can relate. When was the last time you were in an elevator, subway car or doctor’s office where someone was actually having a conversation with a live person? It’s pretty rare these days.
So I decided to challenge myself. I usually walk around with my earbuds in, with crazy NYC set to my own soundtracks. But on this sunny day, I walked down Fifth Avenue in tune with the city, unattached to any device and I didn’t expect to see what I did.
The walk was divine. I noticed stores and people and heard so many different languages – Chinese, Greek, Spanish, Russian (or at least I think it was!) and in the corner of my eye, I spotted a blind man with a walking stick. He was maneuvering around quite well until someone on his cell phone almost bumped into him. I suddenly looked around and saw about every other person doing the same, looking down, checking emails, sending texts, chatting on the phone, all while walking. Which made me think, who is blinder, the blind man or us, the chosen blind?
The same applies to our spaces. We put things in corners or piles and say, “I’ll get to it later” but later never happens. We robotically turn on the TV, or obsessively check our emails or Facebook until we are exhausted. The piles and clutter we were going to “get to later” become part of the norm, what our eyes get used to seeing. We become blind to the stuff that is right in front of us. We wonder why we are overwhelmed, tired or irritable each time we “see” this stuff. It affects our energy without us knowing it.
This week, challenge yourself and try putting your mobile devices away. In Feng Shui, we say we put on our Feng Shui glasses to see the things we wouldn’t normally see. How accurately are you seeing your home, your world? What are you choosing not to see? Pay attention, be fully present and watch the energy of your space and the people who use it magically change.
If I haven’t convinced you yet, watch this video now (seriously watch it, it’s really good), then turn your devices off and enjoy your world. In person.
