Our modern lives are filled with the constant stimulus of e-mail, social media, and TV advertisements. In fact, 73% of Americans go online daily, with one fifth saying they are online “almost constantly”.

And while technology has wonderful aspects in other ways it is personally and collectively detrimental to our wellness. As a culture we are now so connected digitally yet struggle to really feel connected within our selves and with each other.

This unhealthy attachment to technology is diminishing our capacity to tolerate silence. If we have no silence inside ourselves we can’t hear our own intuition and inner voice. In order to hear our intuition we must create the space to among the constant noise and chatter of our lives.

In fact, the corporate world we live in is invested in keeping us hooked to this never-ending stimulus in order to show us advertisements and keep us as consumers. The more disconnected we are from our selves and each other the more unsatisfied we feel. This dissatisfaction makes us easier prey to buy the latest and greatest thing to fill the gnawing hunger.

We can resist this paradigm by unplugging, practicing meditation and mindfulness as ways of creating more space in our lives and room to hear our own inner knowing and finding the things that truly bring us happiness. The more space you create the more you can hear your intuition - which is a quieter voice.

You can begin by carving out five minutes a day to practice feeling your breath, tuning in to your body, and listening to the sounds in nature. Try this every morning when you wake up before reaching for the phone, every night before bed and by taking a pause throughout the day. Find small ways to cultivate space and silence in your day.
Try this at home:
* At this moment close your eyes and put your hand on your belly, take three deep breaths feeling your belly rise and expand, feel your body against the chair you are sitting on, hear the noises in your background, feel your in-breath and out-breath.
* Take inventory on the ways your media consumption is enhancing or diminishing your life.
* Begin reflecting on how these principles resonate with you and stay tuned for the next step, connecting with your body and sensations.

by Dr. Dana Cohen PsyD