After a busy couple of weeks filled with concerts, travel and adventures – I am overflowing with gratitude for this life.

The past couple of weeks were crazy busy but I loved every minute. Something I realized during this busy time was my desire to share everything across social media. I observed this behavior around me as well, people living their “best lives” but it seemed to be more so through the screens of their phones than actually enjoying the moment.

At the concerts, more phones were out than not. Filming, snapchatting and taking pictures – which don’t get me wrong, I’m all about but the whole concert!?

I, obviously, took lots of pictures on my trips to California and hiking in Ohio. However, I genuinely find joy in taking pictures, not just for posting purposes.

I’m not writing this post to say stop being on your phone so much or delete all your social media, but I do want to bring awareness to the issue.

When we are experiencing new or exciting things, it’s become natural to want to share it with the world through our social media channels. We want everyone to know the fun we are having and share our travels with our friends and family. That’s the beauty of social media.

The negative part of social media is letting it control your life and living around it. At one concert, I watched a girl snapchat the entire concert (basically), she didn’t put her phone away once. I can assure you, no one watches all your concert snapchat videos – it’s not the same. It’s fun to share our aesthetic pictures or show the world what we’re up to but we shouldn’t let it inhibit us from actually appreciating and enjoying the moment.

When I was in Cali, this was my first time there by the way, I was obsessed with basically everything. I literally cried tears of joy getting off the plane, driving up the coast and seeing dolphins from my hotel balcony one morning. I was completely overjoyed every day I was there. And, if you follow me, you know that I was active on social media.

Once again, I’m not here to shame you or say never use your phone, but I promise the life happening right in front of you is much more exciting than living through your phone. And if it’s not, you’re in control of your reality – change it!

All this recent excitement has made me develop a new appreciation for actually “living in the moment”. I have a love-hate relationship with Instagram/social media; it’s a magical tool for connecting and inspiring others, but it’s also a dangerous platform that breeds insecurity and comparison.

I’ve decided not to follow a specific “aesthetic” on Instagram – my chosen aesthetic is happy. AKA: I just post what I want and what feels right for my experiences. They may not have get as many likes but they are genuine.

Perhaps I’m an old soul for wishing we weren’t so connected to our devices. I’m writing this post from a place of guilt, honestly. I know I’ve done this many times – at dinner with friends or family, traveling or just sitting on social media for hours without realizing the time wasted.

Here’s a challenge: If you use an iPhone, check your screen time.

I know when I’ve done this, it’s made me nearly vomit to think about how much time I waste on my phone.

I really don’t believe phones are the problem though, it’s how we choose to use them that is the problem. Social media is a modern tool we can all utilize to make connections and build our personal brands in the world. There are hundreds of productivity apps to help schedule your day-to-day or encourage efficient work. There are also wellness apps like meditation or activity trackers. Music and podcasts are great additions to our lives, so apps like Spotify or Apple Music are important. More basic, but FaceTime to call your family and friends who are far away.

These are all great ways to utilize your phone on a daily basis.

It’s how we choose to use these things that make them detrimental or not. Spending too much time on your device doesn’t let you experience the real world in front of you. Maybe your phone is an escape, and I know I’ve been there too. When I was unemployed, I was spending 8+ on my phone – 8 HOURS!

Although I was looking for jobs in those 8 hours, it was not the majority. That’s sickening to me.

Don’t be the person that has to get the perfect instagram picture every vacation. Don’t be the friend at dinner who is on their phone most of the time. Don’t be the person who blocks the view of others at a concert to get a video on your snapchat. JUST ENJOY THE MOMENT!

Life is happening right in front of you every second of every day, don’t get wrapped up in an unrealistic world that makes you feel less than amazing. Your life in front of you is what you make it. Stop trying to “live your best life” online and start living your best life RIGHT NOW.

XO, Lyss