Look What You Made Me Do

And a meditation to reintroduce you to your own center.

Welcome back. I’m glad you’re here.

As I was in a grocery checkout line the other day, I could not help but notice that the person behind me was obviously in a rush. Her agitation was palpable. As she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, she peered around me to see what was holding up the line. The person who should have been paying was distractedly scrolling their phone. I invited the agitated woman to go ahead of me. So eager to jump the queue, she nearly knocked me over. As she turned back to thank me, she complained about how many things she had to do. Then she too began to distractedly scroll her phone.

Photo by Aaron Burden

It is so easy to get caught up in the busy lives we arrange for ourselves, and when we have even one free moment, give in to the urge to fill it too. We unwittingly give our attention away to an algorithm and focus on what appears in front of us.

The world is set up to keep us entertained. We have at our fingertips an inexhaustible menu of distractions and diversions designed to steal every iota of our attention. Many of us fall right into the trap. When we are fully absorbed in this madness, we cease living on our own terms.

At some point, it becomes hard to focus at all, let alone on things we want to attend to. Our best ideas don't often come to us when we are busy, and don’t come at all when we are distracted. They emerge when we give ourselves space to be open. Ideas need a space to fill, and they can’t drop into an overcrowded container.

The next time you feel overwhelmed with to-do lists, see if you can take a step back. Instead of distracting yourself with an internet rabbit hole or a mindless task, can you find some silence and reclaim your attention on your terms? We are so used to intrusions that sometimes we think we are resting but there is a TV show on in the background or an influencer’s social media feed to peruse, and our attention is still divided.

You can always try taking an intentional break. Go for a walk outside- no music or podcasts. Or how about this, scatter five-minute breaks throughout the day simply to feel your body breathing. Let your attention be open, and see what comes up for you.

If you want something more directed — an assist with re-centering — you have come to the right place. There is a meditation below that will help you do just that.