We were recently hit by the latest hurricane Isaias, which impacted 100’s of thousands, especially in the Northeast. Five (5) days without power, internet and cell service has been a trial within the bigger trial of the worldwide pandemic. It was one thing having to stay home and adhere to social distancing and not seeing friends, etc. But in this day and age of our dependence of technology, not having power has caused a different kind of anxiety. Not having the ability to connect with the online community or make a simple phone call to a family member had certainly made me feel really disconnected. I also have found a new way of connecting with others on TIk Tok, following people who spread lots of positivity and good messages to help me start my day! My attitude on how I approach my day changed after listening to real people telling their stories or just sharing happy thoughts. I was missing my online community!!!

But, life is more than social media and I need to keep all of this in perspective. Life is about appreciating the little things in life. Before losing power, I would spend my morning making coffee, watching the birds from my kitchen window and then when I got myself going, would spend about 10 mins or more stretching out on my deck, doing modified yoga sun salutations. It really started my day. Then, I would go online, share my own positive thoughts on FB and share away. It’s been a good routine for me…starts my day and helps me be grounded and thankful.

Without power or the ability to connect online had set me off. My crabby feelings started creeping up again. I noticed I was getting more impatient. So this makes me really think about what makes things tick for me. Is it hearing from my “Hip Pocket Friends” on Tik Tok (moniker by @liquidshano) or my friend who always shares an inspirational message on Facebook with a picture that makes me think.

As much as I relish my days as a young 70’s/80’s kid, and all the simplicities we had, I have come to realize how much we really do rely on technology. Many are addicted to it and can’t live one day without texting, checking their statuses on FB, IG, etc. I must admit I do that. But I also realize that there must be balance. The reality is we cannot rely on social media to get us through the day. It may be a tool we can use to help us get started, but it shouldn’t be the reason why we conquer our day.

Perhaps this pandemic has heightened our dependence on social media because we are forced to stay home more. In the begininning we started new hobbies, spent time cooking and eating meals with our families more. But here we are, 5 months into this in the US and not a whole lot has changed in our habits. Some have continued their new found hobbies, while others have gotten over them and just want to go back to the previous “normal.”

My daily goal is to give thanks for what I do have. I have a roof over my head. My family is safe and healthy. And we do not need anything…we have plenty of food and supplies. There is nothing to complain about in the whole scheme of things. Life is GOOD! Oh, and I will find little things that bring me joy because that’s what can make me smile.

#attitudematters, #beintentional, #enjoythelittlethings