Are you an explorer? Are you an adventurer? It seems that so many of us nowadays are only tourists, merely scratching the surface of our lives; just existing, and never truly living. Where are the readers? Where are the deep thinkers? Technology is threatening to mold us and for many of us, it already has. We use our phones and countless other devices without consideration or constraint. We’re the ones allowing the devices to become distracting and harmful. The digital world is gaining supremacy over real life, but there is something we can do about it.
Create boundaries. Use technology responsibly. Spend time away from media to help slow your mind and focus as opposed to half thinking about everything. Then, start seeing yourself as an explorer. Document and observe the world around you and take notes on your findings. Always be on the lookout for new discoveries. Never be without a journal or book within your reach. Read more and live between the pages of books. Words and stories are so vast and unending, and I pity those who claim they aren’t readers.
Even when watching the news or scrolling through blog posts, think more deeply about what you’re reading or watching, and ask yourself questions about it. Maybe even spend more time on fewer resources of information. If you’re having a hard time with spending less time on the computer, try accomplishing one thing before going online. Run on the treadmill for fifteen minutes, hand-write a letter to someone, step outside and breathe in the fresh air, or even read one chapter in a book.
“Once in a while it really hits people that they don’t have to experience the world in the way they have been told to.” ~Alan Keightley
The world needs more explorers, not those who are easily distracted. The world needs more deep thinkers, not those just looking to be conveniently entertained. The world needs more readers, not more viewers. Evaluate the direction of your life, and if you decide to embark on a new journey, I welcome and commend you, and may your days be filled with adventure and wonder.