Happy Monday my friends!

Sometimes I wonder if anyone cares about me anymore. The people that depended on me, needed my input, asked for my opinion… they’ve disappeared. Gone. Well, not gone. They still show up, eat their meals, do their work, take up space but I feel invisible around them.  Ever feel like that?

So, to make myself feel more visible I am spending more time in the company of others and doing lots of talking. No iPhones or tablets anywhere near us. Just lots of engagement.

It’s so easy to get pulled into online viewing of Facebook or Instagram and walk away feeling less about myself at the moment. I’m not ten pounds lighter, I’m not in Kauai, I’m not in an embrace with anyone. And yet, nobody is forcing me to check Facebook. So, why do I bother to visit? It sucks the joy out of me and leaves me questioning who I am. And, what am I missing out on?

Nothing is the answer. I am allowing something outside of me determine how I feel on the inside. Why would I do that? There are too many fun things to do, places to visit and flowers to smell instead of letting my happy spirit go down the rabbit hole.

It comes down to doing things the old fashioned way. Meeting up with friends. Making phone calls. Sending real cards in the mail. Putting myself on the front sidewalk at the end of the day so I can talk to the dog-walking neighbors. Starting a conversation with someone in the grocery store.

What do I have to lose? Well, again – Nothing. However, I have so much to gain. The feeling that I am in control of my happiness. That feeling that I connected with a totally random person. The feeling that I can unplug and still be connected.

It’s worth a try, right?

Ever feel lost in a crowd? How did you rise above it?

Related Resources:
Simple Conversation – HappilyAfterRetirement.com

A Time & a Place –HappilyAfterRetirement.com

Today’s Quotes -SoulGatherings.wordpress.com