How Present Are You? | Spirit Connection

I watched a video recently of a group of school children presenting a speech, the subject of which was “Social Media – Thief, Guilty or Not?”. Quite an eye opener! They held a mock-court and found social media guilty of stealing their mothers! Check your screen uptime for this week – I’m sure you’ll be shocked at how much time you spend on your phone. And sadly our children are paying the price.

I’m a great observer of behaviour. I watch people to see how they behave and try to pinpoint why – of course a lot of this comes through in my sessions with my clients. But, I’ve become a little hooked on watching a programme on YouTube called Struggle Street. The focus of the programme is on people in Australia living below the breadline. If I’m correct this programme was presented on television probably around 2014. Be that as it may, I have no doubt that the situation is either still the same or even worse. As we experience greater numbers of unemployment around the world, this programme highlights how drugs and alcohol play such a great role. Whether it is that people have lost their jobs due to drugs and alcohol, or have turned to drugs and alcohol because of having lost their jobs – either way, it is a huge problem across the globe.

One of the episodes showed a family of six, mother and father both addicted to ICE and living in a garage, converted into a make-shift living/sleeping space for them by a very kind social worker. Throughout the episode, the struggle of this family was so pulpable, yet what stood out for me even more was the father who didn’t once look up from his telephone. The fact that they were about to have their children taken away from them, didn’t stop him looking at and scrolling through his phone – even when being interviewed, or spoken to by his wife or his scared children! I understand that the drugs play a part here in him being so absorbed in his own world, but, his behaviour is not unique.

How many times have you been to a restaurant and witnessed moms and dads busy on their phones whilst their children are either left to play unattended or perhaps also entertaining themselves on their ipads or phones.

People what has happened to human connection?! What has happened to human communication?!

We need to disconnect from this virtual world that takes up so much of our time. I had a student who told me she didn’t have time to meditate because she spends every night on TikTok. It just astounds me – I hope it does you too!

It’s time to make a serious assessment of how present you actually are. Why not do an experiment for yourself and switch your phone off for one day. Or put it to one side and only check it at the end of the day. Of course, if anyone does actually use the phone for what it was intended, and that is to actually call you, answer it. But for the rest, leave it alone. Another exercise you can do, is keep a pen and paper with you and make a note of every time you pick up your phone. I’m sure you’ll be shocked at how many times in a day you have it in your hands!

You need to live your life in the present moment without distraction and filled with physical human contact and connection. Having people around you that you actually interact with and talk to, is so important for your growth, both as a human being and as a spirit being. Sadly, we have come to a place where we no longer have sufficient human connection and it’s a huge problem.

People are lonely and people are sad and having no-one to talk to, is what results in self-medication. Turning to drugs and alcohol to numb the pain and to retreat even further from any social interaction. Right now, the world is in a mess. I know that’s a generalization, but man – take a look around you. Become that person who truly observes others. Look past the person who is trying so hard to disassociate themselves and try to find what lies behind their pain. Do the same for yourself. Be present and aware of how you behave, what your triggers are and what your default behaviour is. If the outcome of that behaviour is resentment, anger, pain, disappointment, hurt, shame, guilt then you know it’s time to change. Understand that you cannot change what you don’t acknowledge and you cannot become aware of anything that you need to change if you aren’t present in your own life.

Don’t be afraid to show up for yourself – no-one else is going to do it for you! No-one is coming to save you and if you ask yourself why? It’s because everyone is suffering, everyone is struggling through their life and for the most part, people just don’t have enough of themselves to give to someone else – including you. And that’s no way to live.