What are the symptoms of turning into a techno-zombie?
Have you Become One with your Netflix and DVR accounts?
Bit by the Email Timesuck Vampire AGAIN? There goes another three hours!
FOMO or Fear of Missing Out has driven us as empathy and as entrepreneurs to be literally attached at the hip to our cellphones and other tech at all times.
And as technology continues to innovate, it's getting harder and harder to tell the difference between being productive and being distracted by it.
Watch this week's 14-minute love letter video for the third installment of our 5-week deep dive into self-care versus self-sabotage, and start healing your relationship with technology.
"I carry my phone everywhere."
We are on week three of five in our deep dive into the dance that we empaths do, between self-care and self-sabotage, right? Dancing that fine line like a boss, or not.
Kind of like a slave, right? If we're really looking at what are our addictions? How are we soothing ourselves versus actually caring for ourselves, right?
Last week, we talked about food, right? And emotional stuffing, how we use food to stuff our feelings, our empathic overwhelm down, so be kind to yourself if that's you, or if you haven't seen that, go ahead and go back in the playlist on YouTube, or back on the earlier blog post on victoriawhitfield.com. You'll see it there.
This week, this is a bit of like a meta-analysis, right? It's the analysis of the actual thing that's happening right now, is technology.
Social media and technology! It's so good, right?
How are we doing self-care versus self-sabotage, with all this technology stuff all over us, right? How impersonal does this feel, by the way, now that you can see my phone as I'm talking to you? Like, it's changed the whole look.
I'm not acting any differently, but now that I'm looking at or having my phone on camera, that feels different talking to you, versus you having my full attention. Hmm. So this is something that we have got to talk about, because you and I are looking at each other thanks to technology right now, right?
Current research says cell phone users touch their phone - they don't even really use it, they just touch it - between 2,500 and 5,500 times per day, spending an average of two to five hours within the screen, and this is just the phone, right?
I didn't even look at TV, or look at computer, laptop, or billboards, and GPS, and all the technology, and then other people's phones, and TVs, and laptops, and computers, and yada yada yada, the list goes on.
It's total technological immersion that we've got going on right now, and yes, it's connectivity, but there's a difference between connecting and feeling connected, right?
So with our phones, and all of these screens that we have around us, there is an emotional need that we are fulfilling, so this week in particular, my guides are bringing forward the Erickson, who came up with the six human needs?
So everybody has basic, human needs, right? That have got to be fulfilled in order for us to feel safe, happy, and fulfilled in life.
Even just normal, right, filling our needs is necessary for satisfying our baseline as human beings. It's just natural, and the six human needs are certainty, right? To know things that are going to be the same.
You know what the outcome is going to be. You know what to expect, right? Certainty. "I'm certain." Also, then, uncertainty. So, to know things are going to be spicy, and interesting, and we'll have adventures, and spontaneity, and diversity, right? Uncertainty.
Next is connection and love, so those two are kind of grouped together, but this is to feel connected to those around us, feel connected to something outside of ourselves, right? To be involved, to be in relationship of some sort. It doesn't even have to be with a human being, right? I think in Japan, they're marrying robots, some people are. Google it.
Four is significance. So, to know that you matter, or that you've been seen, and recognized, and acknowledged, that you're not just operating in a vacuum, but that, "Oh, I'm significant to something, someone, somehow," or, "I am significant," right? Those are our four universal, basic human needs. Everybody's into this. The last two are more spiritual in nature.
Number five is for growth. So, the need to feel like there's progress being made, that we're moving forward, or that we're getting better with time, things are developing momentum. Then six is for contribution, so to know that you have a legacy, or that you made a difference, that you taught something, or somebody, that there was an impact that was made. Those are our six human needs.
Now, if you just have three of those human needs, it's an addiction. Anything above that, you can forget about it. It'll dominate your life.
Technology, how many of those six human needs, right? Already, yes, we're going in to connect, right? Trying to connect, stay connected, get connected. How many times do you see that online, or on the computer, or wherever you're looking, whatever screen you're sucking on, right?
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Then, certainty, to know that everything is the same. I know the weather is the same as it's expected, right? Then uncertainty, "Ooh, look at this different shiny object, or squirrel on a pole, dancing," or something on Facebook.
So we've already got three there. Oh no! Then, well we've got contribution, posts, right? Like, comment, engage, subscribe. Legacy, oh no!
So, I'm sure I missed one, but you fill in the blank. Our human needs are absorbed in these screens, that are following us around all day.
Source wants you to know that the feeling behind that, the spiritual truth behind that, one is you're feeling lonely, bored, under-stimulated, anxious, and impatient. These are all the uncomfortable feelings that we'll have that will cause us to reach, those 2,500 to 5,500 times for our phone, for example, in a given day.
Unbelievable. I'm still flabbergasted by that number, but hey, you know, it's what the research says, as of 2017. So, be kind to yourself if that's you, right? You live with your phone, or you talk with your phone, or your phone is always on your hip, on your boob, on your ... Screens everywhere.
It's those low vibe feelings, though, that we are trying to escape. So this is what we want to honor this week, in particular, with your energy, is how are you escaping life? So this is our form of self-care, right? We're trying to care for these feelings of emptiness, loneliness, feeling bored, or under-stimulated, or even curious.
We're caring for that by escaping, right? Taking off, into the bowels of Google, or into the depths of Netflix, right? Or wherever you're going, in technology. Technology is meant for you to feel connected and have access. It does not put limits on you.
Now, there is an app, one of my awesome clients ... Hi, Elaine! She uses, called Moment, which is tracking you, how many minutes you've been on your phone, and you can start to raise your own self-awareness of, "Oh my gosh, I've been eating my phone for the last few days," right? It tracks your usage. Moment. It looks like a light green and white flower, if you're looking for it in the App Store, to help you, and it'll also give you alerts to put your phone down.
You've met your limit, right? But most technology is built for access, like this infinite connectivity and access, and that is a breeding ground for addiction and escaping away from your natural energy. Very, very, very un-grounding.
So this week in particular, Source is asking us instead, to unplug at the Deep Dive Retreat. Every year, we practice three whole days unplugged, and yes, we go through withdrawal, and yes it's intense, but it's amazing what happens when you go back to being a natural human being. Suddenly you can see flowers, and smell the ocean breeze, or even just, if you're not by the ocean, you're just alive, and aware, "Oh, this part of my body aches. Ooh, I feel like moving more," right? You're so much more in tune to your health, and to your energy, when you start practice unplugging strategically.
So that's your assignment for this week. Here's the Oracle Card deck. Let me pull this right quick, before we run out of time. Indigo Angel Oracle Cards deck. Another Doreen Virtue deck. One of, I believe, 21 now. Angels, what do we need to know this week, about oh God, screen-sucking?
Ah, time to create. This is where we'll leave off. You know, the bright side of technology is that it gives us an incredible myriad of platforms for expressing our creativity. I double dare you to get creative when you feel the urge to screen-suck, whether it's TV, laptop, tablet, phone, right? When you get the urge to screen-suck, do something creative. Maybe it's change your clothes, or primp yourself, or start drawing, or make a paper shape, or whatever you can do to get creative.
What's coming up for you? Comment below, send me an email back, what happened when you did that? What are you going to plan to do? Are you going to plan to draw? I love doodling, by the way. I doodle on all receipts, so whenever I'm out eating, or shopping, or whatever, I doodle on every receipt that goes back to the waiter.
So, how are you going to express your creativity this week, instead of jumping on that technology thingy? It's going to suck your energy and your time away, right? Let me know. I'm excited to see it, right? And share your poem, share your images, share your songs. I would love to see them. If you want to post a video back, I can't wait to see you.
All right, are you ready for it? We'll see you next week for week four. Bye.
VictoriaWhitfield.com
Facebook.com/SenseiVictoriaWhitfield
Just for Today...
Unplug from technology, strategically.
Make time for creative expression with ZERO technology exposure - even try hiding all screens and machines under blankets if you must.
Notice how you feel at that moment - you're already healing!
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Hello there. I am Sensei Victoria Whitfield, your business reiki master. And it's my joy to get to support empathic entrepreneurs and business owners like you in getting and staying grounded and clear in mind, body and business.
Welcome back to another installment of your weekly love letter from the dojo at naturalintuition.com and victoriawhitfield.com, my blog. These are your sources for channeled holistic stress management techniques and guidance for developing your natural intuition. Whether you're looking to improve the quality of your personal and professional life, let this love letter be your reminder that you are not alone and that together we can make that happen.