I’m sitting in a café as I’m writing this..
When was the last time you sat down by yourself and did absolutely nothing?
No phone, no laptop, no book.
Just a cup of coffee and your own thoughts.
Or when you’re with a friend and they get up from their seat for a minute… do you instantly reach for your phone, or do you simply sit there?
This reminds me of a meme that said:
“There’s a guy in this coffee shop sitting at a table, not on his phone, not on a laptop, just drinking coffee… like a psychopath.”
These days, simply existing without consuming something almost looks suspicious, peculiar at the least.
It actually feels strange
Because we’ve become so used to filling every tiny gap with stimulation. Notifications, messages, latest headlines, scrolling through reels. Anything to stop us from simply being where we are.
And after years of doing that, sitting quietly has become uncomfortable. In those moments we would have to listen to our own thoughts, fears & doubts even.
But that is actually how we come up with new ideas, while being present. Many people would frame that as boredom. But it is the perfect state of mind for creativity.
This post started while I was sitting here doing exactly that.
I had already spent seven minutes simply drinking my coffee before taking out my laptop & starting to write.
Just observing, watching people. Letting my mind wander.
It’s funny how quickly ideas start appearing once we stop feeding the mind with cheap dopamine.
Sharing everything
As I’m writing this, I notice someone rearranging their meal before taking a photo.
A little to the left. Move the glass. Turn the plate. Take another one.
We’ve all been here one way or another. I am certainly not innocent in this aspect.
I most definitely have to film that trick I just landed so that I can share it with the world, asap!
We capture our holidays, morning coffee, chilling by the beach, the perfect sunset.
Then we spend another few minutes choosing the best version to post, a few more to come up with the caption.
And I keep on coming back to this question…
Who am I trying to impress? For what?
As if anyone remembers my story from two days ago.
The strange thing is that this is not really a new obsession. Social media just amplified it.
Alan Watts wrote this in The Wisdom of Insecurity back in 1960:
“Most of us would rather have money than tangible wealth. And a great occasion is somehow spoiled for us unless it is photographed. And to read about it the next day in the newspaper is oddly more fun for us, than the original event.”
Pointing to the fact that, long before social media, we were already so wrapped up in thinking, planning and seeking validation through external signs that we often missed life as it was actually happening.
But I have a tangible excuse
I have to post this “perfect life” so that people perceive me as high value and trust me enough to become my clients.
That’s how it works, right?
Show your lifestyle, morning routine, workouts, your wins especially. Because on “paper” we all (have to) look perfect.
Be authentic… but make sure it performs well.
I need a strong hook in the first couple of seconds. Post consistently because apparently the algorithm has the attention span of a goldfish. I need to be memorable in a world where thousands of people are competing for the same few seconds of attention.
So it doesn’t really feel like I have a choice.
And yes, I realise the irony.
I’m writing a post about being present… on my computer… in a café.
In order to present an idea of a high performing lifestyle, I am also starting to document the calming routines that are featuring ME Being present.
A quiet morning, going for a walk to boost creativity, meditating, doing breath work exercises, simply drinking coffee doing nothing. As I was twenty minutes ago.
How far though?
For how long?
How much of my life needs to become content before I earn the right to simply live it?
Until my business is big enough, so that I can pay someone else to do this for me?
Until I have enough followers?
Enough money?
Until that girl I really like finally falls for me?
Then I’ll slow down, be more present.
Because deep down, I don’t actually want to share it all.
…although, I’ll probably still post the new trick I just landed. And maybe the sunset…
Zapis je kot vedno na voljo tudi v slovenskem jeziku na: https://umetnostgibanja.si/biti-prisoten/
