Choose to be Present

Hello my beautiful friends! Nice to have you here again! I'm currently on vacation in Florida visiting family with my husband and two children. We’ve been having SO much fun reminiscing, eating, and conversing past midnight, every night..plus, I dominated our first game of Scrabble WHICH NEVER HAPPENS…so there’s that! (I also severely lost the very next game, but that’s not important, haha.)

Yesterday, we were able to wander off and have a special family day, just the four of us, in this CHILLY Florida weather! (We jokingly wondered if we were even in Florida, because it’s been SO cold these past few days!) We explored the streets of the downtown area, drank coffee, and ate Thai food, which are some of our favorite things to do! However, we encountered one problem that did tend to ruin the mood…

I kept finding myself reaching for my phone.

Have you ever been there before, mama? It’s one thing when your loving husband asks you to put your phone down, but you know it’s really bad when your toddler asks you to put it away! It’s no doubt technology is addicting.

For some of us, being on social media is not just a “mindless craze,” but rather an outlet, a place to encourage and connect with others, or a desire to better provide, and build something for our families! Even these well-intentioned goals must come with boundaries, and it’s important to discuss them with your family! Perhaps, there should be no phones during family time? Or, no checking your social media when you’re enjoying time with your spouse? Setting these boundaries and expectations in advance can help “keep the balance” for you and your family.

Next time you’re with your children, husband, or friends, take a look at your actions. Do you find yourself being present? Are you engaging in conversation? Even more, are you truly listening to the words of others? Do you view most of life’s precious moments through the screen of your phone? Are you always holding your phone? It’s not easy to be present in this tech-savy world we live in.

It can, however, be easy to get sucked into allowing social media to become our main place of validation or socialization…for us to feel purpose in“how many followers” or “how many likes” we have. It’s quite ironic that social media can often create a lack of socialization in the real world. On the other hand, as wonderful as it can be, and as BIG an impact it can make on others, there's no bigger impact to be made than with the people RIGHT IN FRONT OF US.

I definitely don’t think social media is 100% bad, although at times I have sure felt that way. I acknowledge it can be used to uplift others, share life, and keep others from feeling isolated, etc. Whether you have a blog, YouTube channel, business, or are just a mama sharing pictures of your kids to keep in touch with family and friends…it’s so important to stay present in real life. It’s great to grow your blog, grow your YouTube channel, grow your business, grow your networking relationships, grow your followers, but NOT at the expense of losing time with your husband, time with your children, time with your friends, or losing the art of being PRESENT with those who love and need you most!

So, next time we are with loved ones let’s:

Choose being PRESENT over being "online."

Choose CONVERSATION over replying to comments.

Choose HUGS over "likes."

Choose HOLDING HANDS over holding our phones.

Choose FAMILY AND FRIENDS over followers.

That being said, I will keep this short, bid you adieu, and rejoin my family for the day! I know it's easier said than done, but with proper prioritizing and healthy boundaries, I believe it can be. So, friends, let’s do our best to put our phones down more, look people in the eyes, and…

CHOOSE TO BE PRESENT.

I'm right there with ya! Thanks for reading, and if you have any methods worth sharing that help you stay present, please leave them in the comments below! Nothing but love to all of you, mamas! I’m so thankful to be doing life with you, and I wish us all a day of choosing to be more present with the people around us!

Cool, Calm, and Collectedly Yours,