Switch off to Make Connections

We live in a world of increasing connectivity with laptops, tablets, phablets, iPhones, and Galaxies. We are constantly connected to the Internet and to each other yet paradoxically; an increasing number of people are feeling disconnected and lonely. Depression and anxiety are on the increase. Many people turn to online gaming, porn and or social media to try and fill the void and sense of disconnect they are feeling by using quasi-connections to others. Unfortunately the number of likes you get, or the success you may feel in winning a game are only short lived.  There has to be a better way that doesn't increase your anxiety and actually satisfies your need to connect and not feel lonely.

Fortunately there is.  The solution has been with us for thousands of years and it works. It is called different things in different cultures, but they all come down to the same thing: lovers, families, friends, parents and children getting together, talking, sharing, laughing, telling jokes, playing, sharing a meal and generally hanging together relation amicale.  Ask yourself, have you ever been lonely even when surrounded by others. I know I have and it isn't nice.  The solution is to find people you can connect with in a rich deep friendship.

Here are some things you can do with your partner/family/friends to build this rich friendship and love for each other:

1. Slow down and share a meal together. There Are no reasons why you can't have a slow meal once a day or once a week (minimum) to connect.  Leave all phones, TV's, computers and tablets away from the table. Sit, talk and connect. Keep it upbeat and positive and do the dishes together and celebrate the good old days before technology changed how we connect.
2. Take a night/day each week or so where you go and play together. This might to the beach, a park, Mt Biking, watching a movie, going paint-balling together, ten-pin bowling. The point is to share and connect with light hearted playfulness.
3. When are home together schedule some social media free time where phones, laptops and tablets are put out of reach and you can play games, have deep and meaningful conversations, share about your day and love on each other in supportive playful ways. 

It is really important that when you are with people you turn your phone or watch notifications off so you can actually be present with them without interruption. I actually have turned every notification off on my phone except one for text messages and I haven't felt more liberated in quite a while. 

Hebrews 10:24-25 says to "consider how we may spur one another on to love and good deeds."  Never has this been more relevant than in our modern age when we are so busy connecting that we don't have time to meet with our friends/family, and when we do finally connect so much is interrupted by our other virtual connections.  So do yourself a favour. Switch off the online world whenever you are with those you love AND when you do, you will be happier, less lonely, and surprisingly less anxious and depressed as well.