Intention: Let’s make a plan

For me, April has flown by like a gust of spring wind. From one event to another, tossed forward trying to absorb all that life offered. But still no constructive movement forward on my creative projects. Not enough focus for my writing to take center stage - and still so many things to do before the semester ends in mid-May. 

I spoke at a conference recently about keeping sane while living a digital life. At the core was the idea of living intentionally. At the conference I talked about how technology was not the root of all evil but we need to be intentional in our use or non-use of it. We need to choose analog moments to reset ourselves and disconnect from our devices. 

As I write this introduction, I am choosing to go old style. Pen on paper, ink flowing and my mind buzzing. But if I’m honest, I can type faster than I write and when the thoughts are zooming like a cat after treats, digital is the better, more functional choice. For now, I’m sticking with the analog way, resisting the urge to dictate into my phone.  

My thoughts drift to the future and the past. As I grow older I think about intention in terms of my life and my time left on this crazy planet. I have so much I want to do, but without intention, I know it won’t get done. 

What are your intentions as May starts with spring moving quickly to summer? 

Mine is to find a rhythm for life and time for writing and podcasting. Changes are a foot and I know that if I don’t find the time to devote to my creative endeavors, my frustration with myself will only get worse. I’m going to find an accountability partner, and embrace more analog moments. I want to hear about your plans, and hopefully we will connect along the way. 

At the conference where I spoke about Keeping Sane, I proposed three A’s to being intentional in a digital world. The first was ‘Analog Moments.’ This is when we intentionally disconnect from our devices and technology. Take a walk, meditate, breathe, and pause to absorb the moment. When was the last time you just existed in the moment? Find one today where you can insert the analog into your digital day. 

The next A is Apps. As I said, technology is not evil, but we need to use it intentionally to get the most out of it. There are several apps that help me be more balanced. Calm provides me with meditations and sleep stories. I delight in memories of my mom reading to six-year old me. Finch gamifies my everyday life and makes sure I remember things like ‘change the filter in the cat’s waterfountain,’ and ‘don’t forget to check on that subscription.’  I’m also using the ‘Focus Mode’ on my phone to stop notifications from distracting me. Because trust me - I will get distracted (thank you non-diagnosised, but we all know I have it, ADHD).

The last A is Action. We can remove social media apps from the homescreen of our phone and put them in a folder. Before you open a social media app or game, ask yourself why are you opening it? Are you getting ready to have a doomscrolling session? If so, do so intentionally. I do it to avoid grading. Don’t be me.

One of the best pieces of advice I got when I was putting the original Keepin Sane presentation together in 2019 was, “Don’t RSVP to every fight you are invited to.” For me, this means pausing my flying fingers from typing a reply, taking a breath, and hitting the backspace key. Be Elsa, and let it go.

Finch reminds me twice a month to change the filter in this cat fountain. It is the best one we found that doesn’t get all icky, It is stainless steel except for one attachment that is plastic. The filters are easy to change, and if you do so every two weeks, it stays clean. Princess Leia loves her fountain, and I love the sound of it in the kitchen while I cook. Check it out - no affiliate links, just sharing the love.

Sometimes we all need to go a little crazy. Let our hair down and intentionally decide to just be ourselves. Leia is perhaps best at this. She has firm boundaries but loves to play. We bought her a catnip toy recently, and let’s just say she knows how to have a good time. I’ll see you next month, I’ve got to go hide the catnip toy in the fridge (in a ziplock bag, of course).

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Be kind and be you. 

Geek Meets Social where Compassion finds Expression.