I am continuously reminded of the importance of that simple invitation to let in… the world.
Read on for my opinion… (Coach Will with my philosopher hat on today)…
So much of the drive to use modern technology is about patching up the gaps in our 'experience quota'—that amount of interest, engagement, curiosity, motive that imbues our lives when we humans feel fulfilled.
As modern life features far less of the life-or-death struggles that our 'fulfillment' feeling actually evolved in response to, we have opted instead for risk-free, disposable experiences that leave us unharmed, yes, but also unfulfilled.
But I have found, over the last couple years, that there is actually a lot more going on right beneath our noses that can—and perhaps should—provide our lives with a level of "interesting" that might actually scratch the itch we all have to lead fulfilling lives.
Now first off…Late-stage capitalism has failed us all. The billionaires are morally destitute, the middle class is watching the last few escape hatches toward wealth (aka fulfilment as capitalist define it) shoot away, and the legions of the world's subsistent poor grow more numerous every day. Oh and the planet is teetering, already falling apart from our abuse and headed for much worse. Sure we live a bunch longer than our ancestors, but at the cost of meaning and community, of gratitude and connection. The notion that US-style capitalism is the global model for a more peaceful, just world seems to be thoroughly debunked at this point.
All of which is to say: just trying to make a bunch of money and find 'happiness' down that route is, based on history, not a great play if fulfillment is our goal.
But one side-effect of this failed economic system has been the advent of social media, and the fine art these companies have made of attention-hijacking, perfecting the shiny-but-fake aesthetic.
The impact of this tech is significant: never before in the history of the world has any individual or organization been able to predict who we are and what we will do next better than the social networks that hold us all in their thrall.
Further, that thrall has blunted our ability to pay attention, making us progressively worse at experiencing what is real, out there in the world.
Behind the veil of shiny-but-fake, aka when you put your phone in the drawer, the events that blossom have the potential to strike us, to leave an impact and make our lives rich, if we let them.
If you can begin to shift into seeing this world, more and more deeply, the meaning we all seek is actually … right… there.
…Doing dishes without any other stimulation is a sudsy, warming ritual.
…Resting after your day by examining the paint on the ceiling becomes a memorable moment with your cat.
…Asking your kid (or your nephew, or your partner) hard questions, and sticking in for the responses, the triggers, the defensiveness and the love underlying it all, ends up as a high-point of your month.
See, 'great experiences' are about risking your safety, but they needn't be life-or-death. Great, fulfilling moments are everywhere, all the time, if you leave yourself vulnerable to them. They need air, and space, a void to fill.
So when we fill all the gaps in our lives by going slack-jawed on social media, there is nowhere for those exceptional moments to enter, so they don't.
And so—unfulfilled—we keep scrolling.
Now: this email is not about judging your use (or MY use) of social media as bad or wrong. I only ever want you to do you, not to mention that I actually believe social media has been the theater for some of humanity's better moments.
But this email IS about examining that use, and noticing what it keeps from you. What happens when there is less stimulation and more spaaaaaaace?
I'll meet you there
-Coach Will
Ps: A physical practice and attention are inextricably linked, which means the impact of deepening your physical practice can be profound for building your attention. Curious to learn more? Let's chat.