Tien-Jen

Lately, I’ve been reorganising my online world and limiting or restricting what I’m seeing. So much of what we view online is designed to stir an emotional response within us, to keep us engaged. The world feels as if it’s changing so fast, yet the only way to slow down is within ourselves. Our society has created an environment that avoids boredom by chasing entertainment and constantly robbing our attention. I’ve been reflecting on how I want to live a simple life.

Observing. During a visit to China, I was pleasantly amused by the size of the ants. They were the biggest ants I’ve ever seen in my life. Several times, I’d crouch down to stare at the ants walking around carrying big loads to their nest. It reminded me of the childlike curiosity we have within all of us, where we could spend hours doing a task and time would just go by. Where the little things would make us burst out laughing. We were truly in the moment.

Reading. Reading slows down the mind. It makes you reflect and think critically about certain things. It reminds me of how we used to all watch the same show on TV or watch the news at the same time, instead of constantly changing the channel or having decision fatigue about what to watch on Netflix. Reading a book is just that. The only task is to read the book without numerous tabs in our browser.

Notifications. Everyone is accessible, but what once was a way to instantly interact with one another has now become a constant door-knock. Messages can take time and energy, and notifications create a daily interruption. I’ve found switching off notifications, deleting apps and making my phone as simple as possible has helped.

Phones. Our phones are a constant source of information and entertainment, ready to hit us with dopamine and make us addicted. We’re all addicted to our phones. The art of daydreaming seems to be less prevalent, and we live in a society that seems to spend more time looking down. I think there is beauty in being bored, yet sometimes I feel I’m being sucked into the vortex. It feels like we’re already living in some kind of Matrix.

Environment. Our environment impacts us in many ways. A quiet, peaceful and warm environment makes us feel safe. Being surrounded by nature gives us the time to just observe and slow down. Yet, being in a fast-paced environment might cause us to feel like we need to be constantly doing something. When we slow down and have time to do nothing and just be, it’s when we can fully relax and not think too much about anything.

I noticed when I allow myself to be bored, rather than turning towards a distraction to escape my mind, the anxiety and racing thoughts seem to slow down, the space to rest and reflect and be in the present comes to the surface. Most of the things I worry about never happen, and for a moment I’m reminded that life is often simpler than my mind makes it seem.

Art by Liekeland