Right now I am watching the Colbert Report, writing this blog post, watching for any notification numbers on my FB & Gmail tabs, and texting one of my best friends about this weekend.
PHEW!
Being present is something that I really want to focus on from here on out.
It is so easy to ignore the ones we are with for what else is happening around us {or really, on our smart phones}. Almost any night you can find my husband and I eating in front of the TV, iDevices in hand! I don't like it. It's easy but it needs to change!
Another scary place where I need to be more present is in my car. I am guilty of texting while driving and then last week it hit me, if someone else injured my family because of a text message I wouldn't be happy. Or, if I injured someone else because of a text...I'd never be able to forgive myself. There is nothing as important as being present while driving.
I have some very good role models {and a few bad ones} in this area. My parents are stellar examples of being present. It is VERY rare for my parents to even answer their house phone when we are over for dinner, much less be on any device. To be fair...my Dad uses his cell phone about 30 minutes per YEAR and they don't have call waiting...but I think that's actually good. Another one of my example is Sadie Lincoln, the founder of barre3. When we went to QVC I never saw Sadie be on her phone in other people's presence. We were in the car for hours over the course of the two weekends and only once was she on her phone. She runs a MAJOR business that operated basically 24 hours a day and she makes time to be with the people who she is with, even when it was just she, her husband, and myself at lunch! If she can do it...so can I.
I also want to be more aware of how I am when I approach others. Many times at work I will walk in to someone else's room and need to ask them something right now! I know when people do this to me when I am in the middle of doing something or looking at something I really just want to continue working. I'm trying to be more mindful of sending a quick note saying something like "next time we see each other I want to talk about something quick" since some of the time it isn't something I should write in an email. I also need to do this at home. Jason, unfortunately, works a lot from home. I will try to have a conversation with him while he is working which doesn't work out for either of us. A few nights ago I said "I need 10 minutes to talk to you about something when you have time" and about 5 minutes later he finished up his work and we talked. It was nice for both of us.
Fingers crossed {that my presence is noticed}...
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