"Out beyond ideas of wrong doing and right doing, there is a field. I'll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass the world is too full to talk about. What you seek, is seeking you." - Rumi

 

Is it possible that sometimes, even with our best intentions put forward, we seek the wrong things? Is it possible that sometimes our goals and aspirations are misplaced? That perhaps, what we search for, what we yearn for, are not truly what we should be pursuing? And in a moment of altered clarity we see what we thought we needed in a completely different light. We seek to understand ourselves and our priorities by a completely different set of standards. Or is that we grow and mature? Why is this so? Is this a philosophical question or is it more of a psychological one? Or perhaps everything in life is a spectrum and this question does not fall as beautifully in one category? 

 

In December of 2024, I decided to subscribe to YouTube Premium. I found the constant bombardments of ads to watch a single video exhausting. I simply couldn't enjoy watching my favourite channels so I decided to give it a try. Instantly I felt gratified and at ease. The enjoyment that came with being able to watch my favourite vloggers, clips of past-time tv shows, old cartoons and more was priceless. What I was seeking was ad-free tv time. Or was it? 

 

Fast forward to February and now I am realizing a different reality. Although, of course fully aware of the various algorithms that are present within any video streaming apps, I still fell for it. The new channels suggested were so perfect and well catered to what I enjoyed watching. There was always something to watch and a new channel to explore. I found myself browsing more and more. So what was I really seeking? Ad-free tv time or a distraction from my priorities? Do I really need to binge watch multiple channels daily? Do I not have goals and aspirations? Is this just another media addiction that truly started from a good place of intentions? 

 

The third law of the book, "Atomic Habits" by James Clear, is "Make it Easy" and reduce friction. This rule encourages us to make our goals more accessible. For example, if you want to form a new habit of journaling every evening, then place your notebook on your bedside table with a pen. By reducing friction, you're more inclined to have a habit stick than if the notebook was far from reach in a place you rarely check.

 

In my case, I guess the "Make it Easy" rule backfired. By making it easy for myself to enjoy ad-free YouTube, I became more distracted. I subscribed to more and more channels that were beautiful to watch but yet would inadvertently take my free time and form a bad habit. I have now canceled my subscription to YouTube premium. The friction of ads will once again make me less inclined to turn to tv and I will turn have more time for my priorities and hobbies. 

 

"What you seek is seeking you". To reflect is always an incredible gift of our minds. If distractions are seeking you, are you seeking them? How can you add some friction to potentially shield yourself and return to what's most important to you. And on the same note, how can you make it easier on yourself to have positive habits stick long-term? 

 

Wishing you a lovely day, 

 

Loba