When was the last time you completely unplugged?  No television, no social media, not even music.  Do we even know how to shut out the voices of others anymore?  This week I found myself purposely trying to tune out the noise, and I’ve discovered it’s hard.  I am so used to being on my device that I don’t know how to just be without it.  I watch television when I eat; I listen to music when I clean, I am constantly engaged in something outside of my own thoughts, and I wonder why I have a hard time doing the creative things I want to do. 

When I was a kid, I loved to draw.  It was a different time back when the world was not in your face and at your fingertips.  I didn’t know it then but being bored was a blessing that led to my most creative self.  Now there is no such thing as being bored; if anyone finds themselves in that predicament for more than 5 minutes, they simply pick up their phone and get lost in games, streaming, or social media.  How could we ever know what we really believe if we are constantly filling our thoughts with the opinions of others?  How can we truly get back to creating when our minds are filled with distractions?

I don’t think all cell phone engagement is terrible; there are plenty of opportunities to connect with people or learn new skills.  Incredibly, we carry pocket-sized computers with us daily to search for any topic we could ever want knowledge on, but most do not attempt to learn anything.  As long as you have Wi-Fi, the world can be connected within seconds; that should be inspiring.  Unfortunately, most people, including myself, do not use technology to improve themselves but instead escape from themselves.  Every time I hear stories of people going off the “grid,” I think that’s an extreme way to unplug, but, on some level, I get it.  To completely give up outside influences would allow us to focus on our own voices, beliefs, likes, and dislikes.  Boredom would come, but (hopefully) you would find creative ways to fill it.  Covid taught people who they were last year.  Being confined to your home for an entire year, you were either the person who occupied their days with distractions or tried to take the opportunity to be someone new or at the very least learned something new. 

I admire anyone who can engage in binge-watching television, play games, or constantly follow social media and still be able to listen to their creative spirit.  Trying to live a life not inundated with outside influences is difficult in 2021.  But how do you grow with technology without allowing it to consume you?  I’m still trying to find that balance because I want to get back to being that bored little kid who had no choice but to listen to her own thoughts and learn to be creative.