... that your perception of life would be turned upside down?
No more colorful sunsets, intricate architecture or star gazing…
Ever.
Again.
I’m just curious - how much star gazing are you doing? Do you even see the buildings you pass on your commute or are you on auto-pilot? Our minds have the ability to make sense out of chaos by categorizing things.
Imagine being startled by a shiny metal object in the sky 30 times a day every time you saw an airplane. Or wondering why you keep finding pieces of paper with your name on it in that metal box outside your house (ah! the mailbox). We make sense of things so that we are not overwhelmed all the time – it’s a matter of survival and productivity.
But what if this act hinders us from experiencing our surroundings?
Lots of activities and interactions happen online – most often without any direct interaction with a real person nor any significant physical effort. Most times you don't even need to think up a clever search term to get the info you seek. People are sensing their lazy minds - you can see it in the rise of brain gymnastics apps.
But what is really going on?
Our thinking is being outsourced and minimized. In terms of technology this seems great because it preserves our energy and brainpower for more important activities. If I don't have to spend an hour researching a topic because ChatGPT spits it out in 2 seconds then I have an extra hour to do something even more productive.
That theory sounds incredible but what if in that extra hour most people end up doing nothing - scrolling social media or procrastinating... well, then that advantageous outsourcing turns against us.
The good news is that we are fully in control of what we do with not only our mental tendencies but also technology. We don't need brain gymnastics apps if we just let up a little on categorizing everything we see and start experiencing the moment we are in.
Taking a different route to the gym or to work is a great way to put you in "the moment". Opening your eyes to not just see accepted, known scenarios but instead viewing them as exciting colors and action - really feeling the electricity of the street scene or the peace of the winter morning.
Before you know it, you are doing brain gymnastics in every moment and every situation.
It's like this in music too - the great performers are spinning something unique into your mind and ears because they are awake and active whereas loads of bands are just going through the motions half asleep evoking nothing more than perhaps the tapping of a foot.
I advocate no more rut, no boredom, no mindless scrolling or useless overthinking. There is just right now - this moment.
I truly believe that constructive action is the key to good mental health. Do, do and do some more! It doesn't matter whether you are using "brain outsourcing" technology - just use it to optimize time and then get onto a different, harder task.
Our brains try to trick us into being lazy.
Seriously.
This is why we need to "keep awake" - not over-categorize our daily lives and find the magic in everything again like a child. And imagine - if this sounds good to you - you can have it all for nothing more than some concentrated effort and a shift in habits. Zero dollars down, zero due.
A deal you don't want to pass up.
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