Cyborgs Appreciate Nature

As techies, we’re inclined to stay cooped up inside with our electronics, and our cozy homes. Cyborgs exist with and without tech but they should also strive to find the Balance of living with Nature. Humans in many fields have attempted to recognize the importance that nature, the outdoors and other living things have in our lives. Some say Nature Changes our Brain for the better, others claim that Nature Impacts Our Well-being,  and yet others would argue that Nature is Essential!

Make time this spring and summer to do some activities outdoors. Instead of going to the gym, maybe you walk outside on the bike trails. Maybe instead of having tea at a restaurant for brunch, you invite everyone over for some patio time. There are a lot of budget-friendly and Free Outdoor Activities that can keep you involved with nature. It will be easy to look up local events like outdoor concerts, fairs and farmer’s markets that can keep you active and getting your nature fill.

I plan on taking my own advice. My yard needs a great deal of work so I’m going to put some time in making it look spectacular this summer. Maybe you can garden your whole yard like I plan to. Maybe you can only have a hanging plant in your apartment. Maybe you can only go to the park downtown. No matter what style your life with nature takes, make sure it is Unique to You! Do so Mindfully. Spontaneously and make sure to Bring Friends!

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Cyborgs are social

We call it Social Media, and our tech helps us to be connected wherever and whenever we like but are we really being social? We need real, face-to-face contact as well as digital and long-distance communication to maintain a healthy Cyborg life. Don’t fool yourself into believing you’re getting all of the interaction you need from others through phones or Facebook. Robots might not need to see another robot, but don’t only communicate using tech because you’ll be Isolating the human side of yourself!

One of the greatest thing about Cyborgs is that they are social! A functioning Cyborg has the Mindfulness to be able to distinguish when they need Real Social Interaction, and when a quick message over text will do. I doubt I’m the first person to tell you that having a Social Network (That isn’t digital) not only helps you emotionally but also professionally. Becoming a functioning cyborg can help you find the Balance you need to function in your life while maintaining all of the relationships successful cyborgs need.

Find ways of keeping in contact with people that are comfortable for you. Invite people over for your favorite activity and send hand-written letters as the invitations! It also isn’t hard (especially with the internet) to find where activities you might be interested in are located. Attend a social work function.

Don’t refute the ability of digital networking to help you find places in which you can enrich your life with local face-to-face social interaction. Many groups have Cyborgs at the helm running events and reaching out digitally to find other like-minded folks! Become a Cyborg, not a Robot – Be Social!

(Re)finding your Groove as a Cyborg

Hello again everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful hiatus over the holidays, particularly with your tech. There’s no better time to shut off your devices than when you’re with friends and family! The holidays are also a good time to receive or purchase new tech as gifts, and I’m sure many of you – like me – got some great new tech in your lives. I’m here to try to help you get back into your grove of Switching Off, Unplugging or finding your personal mix of being connected and still living your life.

New tech is always exciting. My first point of advice when getting new tech is to learn everything you can about it when you first get it. Read the manual, do all the setup. Don’t let it sit in its box, and don’t just jump right in. I want you to know everything there is about your new tech so you can avoid the frustration of it not working later in your life. There’s nothing more time consuming than malfunctioning tech, and I would wager (although I’m not a wagering Cyborg, generally) that most malfunctions are user errors. We can avoid these potentially time-consuming and emotionally hazardous pitfalls of tech use if we know all there is to know about it in the first place!

Once you know your tech and have become familiar with it, don’t be afraid to use it. Technology has a purpose, so don’t waste it! Get the most out of your new tech, but always remember to do so with moderation. The tech exists to alleviate pressure or to create solutions in our lives many times by making things easier for us, or encouraging us to do and be better. Let the tech help.

The most wonderful thing about our tech is that most of our devices are entirely customizable. Keep yourself in mind when you are adjusting to your life with your new tech. Keep your Balance, maintain your Mindfulness and above all Put YOU First! If a few months down the road you feel as if your tech is once again taking over your life, don’t be afraid to Rethink it!

A Cyborg Lives

Being connected is important. We want so desperately to be part of something, a family, a group of friends, an event. No matter the scale of our desire to be connected, it still exists. Robots live to work. They live to put one foot in front of the other and accomplish their goals. It is all well and good to be a Robot sometimes. Sometimes it is the only way to get through busy, stressful or difficult times in our lives. I’m telling you that if you want to live a life in love, balance, and mindfulness you need to do it for you and stop being a Robot (when it is safe to do so).

Cyborgs live for themselves, they Break their Programming. While wild beasts and other creatures of our great earth live to survive, Robots live to work and Cyborgs live for more. In this journey that is life, you should live for you! Start by being honest with yourself about what you desire out of life. Be true to yourself! Tiny Buddha gives advice on other ways to be true to yourself, and it may help you find what you’re looking for.

Once you are true to yourself by being honest with who you are and what you need, you can then make the changes in your life to fulfill those needs. Even Robots require maintenance! Life Hack can guide you on strategies of being more honest with yourself. Create little goals for yourself if you think it will be too hard. You can start by dedicating 5 minutes a day to something you really want to do. Maybe reading your favorite book? Or maybe you watch only one episode of your favorite show? Maybe you write? No matter what is important to you, make sure that even for a few moments per day, that it comes first. Make time for yourself and what you need and what fulfills you.

It may seem confusing to give up responsibilities or other hobbies that include being social and then dedicating time to yourself. The world expends a great deal of effort trying to tell us that we should give, give and give some more. It is good to give, but it is even better when you are able to give when your own cup is full. Find yourself and put yourself first in your life so you can practice Switching off and Unplugging. You’ll flourish as a Cyborg living your life.

A Cyborg is Present

Learning to Switch Off or Unplug is hard. I’m not going to tell you that living your life starts off easy. Like all new things, it takes dedication and the development of life-long habits. I can tell you, however, that especially during this time of year one of the best things that can keep you on track for not living as a robot is to live for the moments. Living for the moment means that when you walk into a friend or family gathering you hug for a few more seconds, you take your coat off, kick your shoes to the corner and snuggle in. Make yourself at home wherever you go!

How do you live in the moment? It comes after Breaking your Programming. It means being prepared for Balance. It comes with being Mindful of the wonderful things that you have all around you. Don’t just start each day off thinking “What wonderful things will today bring?” think instead, “What wonderful things will this moment bring?”. Any day has the potential to be filled with insight, love, and comfort, and even the smallest things can show us this. A smile, a laugh, a hug can all bring tiny moments of understanding. Maybe we live for smiles, hugs, and laughter.

Sometimes families are stressful. Sometimes you’re the one stuck cooking dinner or cleaning up the dishes. Sometimes you’re the new one, or the old one and everyone around you is different. No matter what your situation is, there are special moments to be had. If you’re plugged-in to work, or your phone or thinking of being somewhere else, those special moments are likely to be missed. Pay attention to yourself and how you feel, and pay attention to the people around you. Let the joy of fellowship fill you up because humans are social creatures by nature and no matter what anxieties or fears or stressors you have, once you put yourself wholeheartedly into life, you’ll be surprised at how easy it becomes.

Juste Etre: Just Be suggests in “Just ‘Doing’ to Just ‘Being’” that we should look smaller. Pay attention to the little muscles in our bodies as we act or react. Focus. If living in the moment isn’t easy for you, let your focus take control. Focus on how the chair beneath you feels, or the smell of the house around you. In this, you’ll find that living in the moment can be a spectacular thing. Living for the Moment may make you happier because you can take delight in smaller things. It may make you more grateful because you can find joy in even the simplest of activities.

Switching Off and Balance

Another Switch Off Sunday is upon us, where I urge you to disconnect from your robot life and let the world around you thrive. Today I want to talk to you about Balance. As mentioned briefly in The Beginning,Mindfulness and Balance are the keys to Switching Off. Mindfulness allows you to open your mind to becoming balanced, and allowing balance to rule your life. Balance has many facets, just like Mindfulness, however you must already have a firm grasp of yourself and your priorities to uncover areas that need to be adjusted.

What are your priorities? Is it getting your work done? Is it spending time with your family? Is it being present and focused? Perhaps you desire all three! No matter what your priorities are from day to day, a person must be content with themselves before successfully accomplishing those priorities. It should be your goal to balance your mind, body and spirit as well as balancing the various aspects of your life that cater to each of those needs. Maybe yoga may help you balance your chakras and that is how you find yourself. Maybe you need time for yourself for coloring, writing or reading. No matter what soothes you and helps you find your center, be sure to make it a goal. Goals will help you fulfill your priorities.

In balance for Switching Off one must be diligent. It may be easy to shut of the phone, the computer and your mind and just be, but it is important that we do so responsibly. Some of us will never be comfortable shutting off our robot lives because we feel that our work is never done. Do your best to complete your work before shutting off! Your work shouldn’t take over your life, neither should your tech. Put yourself in control, find your balance and you will become the beautiful cyborg I know you can be!

Here are some tips for finding a Mind-Body Balance on Chopra Centered Lifestyle.

Also you may look at other ways to balance your Mind, Body and Soul on Mind, Body Green.

When learning about Balance it is easy to take the step of learning about Inner Peace on Just Etre. Just Be!

Switching Off through Mindfulness

Mindfulness; we hear that word more and more as the powers of yoga and meditation rise in popularity, but do we know what it means in regards to living with tech? It means that mindfullness is one of the keys to unlocking your potential. Mindfulness will give you the tools you need to Shut Off and start living your life!

The hardest part for some Robots and Cyborgs is that the idea of being mindful is time-consuming. People assume that taking an extra second before their actions to be introspective will take away from their day or their lives in some way. I’m telling you that it is entirely untrue! The world is very fast paced, and many of us love to get caught up in it. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying our fast paced lifestyles, but if you’re looking to find inner peace and balance in your life, being more mindful is the first step.

Once you set yourself on the path to being more mindful, you’ll find that the time it takes to do so is not an inconvenience. In-fact, I would argue that the more mindful you are, the more time you’ll have for the important things in your life. You’ll spend less time regretting, you’ll spend less time worrying. Being mindful lets you live freely and safely in the moment! Switching Off through mindfulness will help you do so many things.

Humans are creatures of habit and Switching Off requires us to Break Our Programming in a more overt way than Unplugging. You must be mindful of your technology use (Check out 5 tips to Have mindful Connections in the Tech Age). Be mindful of how much time you use when doing an activity. Pay attention to yourself and your actions and then make the effort to stick to a routine that allows for the chaos of life to filter through (Read 13 Things Mindful People Do). Chaos is not a bad thing – in fact it is neither good nor bad. Mindful people will be prepared for whatever situation life brings before you, especially when you’ve taken the time to Shut Off your digital oriented mind (Learn How to Bring More Mindfulness Into Your Life).

Mindfully set your digital devices aside. Mindfully pay attention to the people around you. Mindfully observe the world and you’ll find that Shutting Off opens up so many possibilities. You’ll have more time to think and process the world. You’ll have the freedom to become the best version of you possible. Wouldn’t it be nice if you were always present? Wouldn’t your loved ones appreciate someone who was attentive, aware and able? I’m telling you that being Mindful about Shutting Off will be one of the greatest things to setting aside the Robot inside of you.

Switched Off – The Beginning

Hello Readers!

Although I’ve been very good at living my life as a Female Robot, I’ve decided to return to offer you new advice. As your Human-Cyborg Relations guide, I’m hoping to give you tips and tricks on how you too can live your life as a Functioning Cyborg in a busy world. The world is full of distraction. We can amuse ourselves with multiple social media accounts, blogs, videos and Buzzfeed is one of my favorites too – do you know which Disney Prince or Princess you are?

Anyway – I’m here to tell you that I get it. The world-wide web is a wonderful place. Many of us work there. Tech lets us be connected all of the time. Being connected all of the time for those of us that love to absorb the world around us is wonderful. All things wonderful though – aside from love – should be taken in moderation. Many of us struggle with the ability to be connected to those around us, even ourselves. For some, finding the ability to be connected isn’t just Unplugging, it is Switching Off.

The Difference Between Unplugged and Switched Off

The differences between Unplugging and Switching Off may be subtle, but the main factors here are those that Unplug do so knowing that they have the ability to plug back in at any time. Being unplugged means you’re mobile, your phone may not be at the dinner table with you, but it is somewhere in your purse or pocket. Unplugged gives a balance between our digital lives and our physical ones. Being Unplugged means you can multitask and still find alternatives to tech, or you set your tech aside a few minutes per day – you are a Cyborg, a functioning techie in a world that pulls you both ways. Being Unplugged is about relaxing and finding harmony; switching off is about being free.

Those that take the time to Switch Off are the ones that shut their digital lives off completely. Switching Off allows for many people to turn their physical lives back on. Cyborgs may find Switching Off to be particularly difficult – “How can I NOT have my phone for a day?” They may ask. Switching Off means that you’re admitting to not being connected. You will not be connected because the here and now is what is important. Instead of having their phones in their pockets, Switched Off Robots may go so far as to shut them off completely for a day, or not even bring them! Being Switched Off means that you don’t NEED the tech. You are enough. You are powerful, connected and part of the world as you are.

The benefits of each type of thinking are important. In the next few weeks, I’m hoping to explore Switching Off and how powerful being a Female Robot that takes a day off can be.

The Keys to Switching Off

The keys to being Unplugged as you may have guessed are Mindfulness and Balance. Shutting Off can be more powerful than that. Shutting Off can be an honest and open admission that being Unplugged is too difficult or it can be a way to empower yourself over your technology “I don’t need you today.” Switching Off is powerful because it requires not only the Mindfulness that being Unplugged requires, but it asks of you even more. It is asking you to put YOU first. The ability to stand free of the imaginary constraints we impose on ourselves because of technology. Being Unplugged is an active state of Mindfulness, Shutting Off lets you throw off that constant state of understanding for the one decision of saying “I matter more today”. The most important thing in Unplugged is Balance. The most important thing in Shutting off is YOU.

The Power to find You

Whichever way is best for you – being Unplugged or Switched Off – becoming more mindful and more connected to yourself is a journey worth taking. Do your best to not only take the advice of a Happy and Functioning Cyborg and Female Robot that takes great pleasure in Shutting Off, but be willing to find the way for yourself. I’m here for advice and guidance. You’re here for you. Making yourself a priority is the most important aspect of improving your life. If you take only one thing from this blog, I hope that it is the knowledge to know that more time spent on yourself is never wasted. Find the power to find YOU. Just Etre – Just Be.

Unplugged – Tech Free Hobbies

An easy way to fill up some of your newly acquired free time (you should be opening up your schedule due to the separation from your tech) is to participate in low tech hobbies. Consider becoming involved in the arts. Painting, sewing, and writing all require minimal to no electronic technology and they also let your creativity soar!

If you are not particularly the creative type you can enjoy theater shows – nearly every town has a small community theater that puts on at least 2 shows a year, you just have to look! You can go to poetry readings or open mic nights and listen to people share their own creative pieces. Consider reading in the park or taking extra long baths.

If those activities are too artsy for you – make more time to better your personal health. Biking, running, and longer walks are all great time fillers that keep you at a safe distance from your tech while improving your body (arguably the second most important object needed to living a long, healthy, happy life – after your attitude/ programming of course!). Maybe now you’ll even manage to have time for a Zumba or Pilates class!

If getting new hobbies doesn’t suit you try leaving your tech at home when you go to the bars, when you go to work, when you go to dinner, or when you go shopping. Do not take your phone or your tablets with you everywhere. Seriously try separating yourself from your tech in your daily routines and you’ll find that your current hobbies can easily become tech free! If you’re afraid to be without it, at least leave it in your car. There’s nothing worse than seeing a group of friends out to coffee, dinner or at the club and see them all checking their phones.

You don’t have any more excuses. This is your life, your time. It is now yours. Unplug and go live!

Unplugged – Break your Programming

One of the easiest and most natural things to do in the life of a bot is to follow a routine, a schedule. I’m telling you that this is part of the reason that you are a bot. I’m not asking you to change up your whole day but to intentionally be spontaneous every now and again. Add a little extra to your day.

In going through your day on a schedule you are more likely to get things done, to not forget important meetings and you’re even more likely to make special time for other things. However, this schedule may be confining you. Consider if your schedule runs you. If any of you are like me, you always check your schedule before you RSVP to events, and even before you make personal plans. This is a great way to work, but it isn’t a necessarily a great way to live.

Consider going to lunch with a friend you never see, think about spending some extra time at the gym or a few extra minutes mingling at church. You can try buying a different type coffee for breakfast, or buy a different color of socks. Make tiny adjustments that don’t necessarily break your schedule, but make those tiny spontaneous intentional decisions that still make you in control of your life. These tiny changes can add room in your life for big chances; like meeting new people, figuring out you really enjoy caramel cream in your coffee or wish you could spend more time with that one friend.

The worst thing you can do is bend to that schedule at every turn. Don’t deny a friend an opportunity to spend time with you even if you’re unsure of your plans. If there is something that you really want to do, then do it. It’s okay to reschedule and to make new plans; people understand, especially if you overbook! You are the only thing stopping you. Break your programming!