I might not be the best voice, & I might not be the most qualified, but since no one else is speaking, I will.

… I notice a lot of people who follow a lot of people, but haven’t yet found themselves.

A lot of people are yelling, but have nothing to say.

I hear a lot about ways we can consume more, and stay more up to date, but I’m not hearing much about be a consumer, not consumed by it.

“… we live in an era where anything Internet related is understood by default to be innovative and necessary. Depth destroying behaviors such as immediate email responses and an active social media presence are lauded, while avoidance of these trends generates suspicion.”

- Cal Newport: Deep Work is Meaningful pg. 75

I hear a lot about mental health these days, but I don’t hear a lot of people saying stepping away from all of it. I don’t hear the messages of throw it all away, every part of that old you, and make changes if you need to.

Instead I see fear. “Don’t miss out. This is the land of opportunities, and we’d hate for you to miss it.”

There’s so much information, and I’ve grown up in it. I’ve grown up exposed and controlled by it. I hear a lot of people telling me to consume more, but very few telling me to consume less.

I don’t hear, don’t be afraid of risks. Don’t be afraid of those things that scare you. Instead I hear, be careful. Don’t do anything too drastic. Don’t take any risk too big.

But I lived that way for so long. After awhile living behind fear starts to no longer feel safe. I’ve never felt closer to death than I did when I was living in safety behind my fears, when I was worried of everyone else’s approval, and being careful not to ever be anything other than the middle.

I don’t hear a lot of people saying it, so I will.

Am I the only one burnt out in this information age? Am I the only one overwhelmed by seeing and knowing everything about everyone, and tired of trying to keep up?

Am I the only one slowed down by the speed of things? Spinning circles in the open vastness? Am I the only one looking for a little change, but feeling pressured to stay the same?

Am I the only one sick of perfection? Slowly peeling back the curtain and seeing the puppets behind it. Am I the only one sick of the fear and shame behind that?

Am I the only one sick of being scared to miss out, only just now coming to realize that being scared to miss out, only leads to more of exactly that: missing out.

… I’m searching for a little less distraction, and a little more direction. Am I the only one?