When you woke up this morning, was your first thought, “I wondering what is waiting for me in my “text thread” or “email” or “missed calls”? On the surface, this thinking might be normal for you. Let’s go back to a time when you did not have a cell phone with the millions of options lurking just beside your bed. What did you think of first, then?

What changed?

Did you know that each of us has the life we have created for ourselves?

Oh really? Do you believe that you are living the hand you have been dealt? No! I don’t think so. 

Here’s why:

• You and you alone, my friend, have taught all those people, websites, and entities on your phone how to interact with you. Read that again: “YOU HAVE TAUGHT THEM!”
• By selecting “options” each time, you have again taught them how you wish to be interrupted in life.
• By not taking the time to thoroughly read through what is given to you, you again teach the algorithm how to interact with you.
• If you are like many who use their phone as their primary communication tool, you simply want to “accept” and move on to the next thing pressing you like a crying baby wanting attention. This again is abdicating your time to the device.

It is now August, and my “old fashion” wall calendar tells me there are a scant 122 days left in the year. How have you spent those other 243 days which have sped by? Let’s take an inventory of what you did and what you may have missed.

• How many birthdays did you miss for family, extended family, and close friends?
• How many celebrations did you forego?
• How many days began and ended in a blur?
• How many times did you choose to grow your skillset?
• How many times did you take a vacation with an “out of office reply”?
• How many events that your child/children were in did you actually show up for?
• How many date nights did you have with your loved one which was not interrupted by your screaming phone?
• When was the last time you had a day off with no responsibilities?
• How many times did you meet with a mentor, coach, or other professional to get perspective on where you are today and where you are going?
• How many positive outcomes have you had in the past 243 days?
• How many nights did you sleep soundly for 8 hours and wake refreshed?
• Have you maintained a healthy weight over the past 243 days?
• What about a healthy mind?
• What about your spiritual health?
• How often do you have a family meeting or meeting with your spouse to see how life is going in their world?
• Do you know what each member of your family is struggling with at this very moment?
• How many times did you hug and say “I Love You” to those who matter most to you?

I could continue with many more questions and observations here, but I won’t. The purpose here is to start you thinking about all the really important things that are passing you by. I hear many of my friends, peers, clients, and even family remark how fast the year is going. Is it going fast? Each year is exactly the same last time I checked. 365 days, each of those days is 24 hours long, and we all have the exact same amount of time to use as we choose. 

We can choose to encourage, love, grow spiritually, work, play, relax, volunteer, and lift up others. Or we can choose to listen to that screaming phone/laptop. 

I will leave you with this:

Who is running your life?