Your phone can wait.

No, seriously.

Wait.

You need your phone to communicate, but you don’t need it for most of the other stuff you use it for. Sure you may want it, but you don’t need it.

You don’t need to check that Facebook notification this instant. And you really don’t need to play Candy Crush again. You don’t need to see random toes on a beach, or the sandwich that person you never met made for breakfast. You don’t need to see another duck face or somebody trying and failing to pout. You really don’t.

You don’t need to Instagram that photo just now. Actually, you might even forget to take a photograph, because you’re having too much fun experiencing the moment, right? Maybe the next time you’ll pick an activity or a spot or hang out with people that you actually like, rather than because it will look good on your highlight reel.

You don’t need to take another selfie. Think of all the time you’ll save trying to find the perfect lighting, changing your outfit, fixing your hair, fixing your face, finding the right angle, and the best filter for your picture.

You don’t need to send or check that Snapchat right this second because you’re worth more than a few superficial seconds of attention for the sake of attention.

You don’t need to answer that Whatsapp text immediately. Scroll through your chat instead. Was it intellectually stimulating? Was it funny and stress-relieving? How much time and energy did you spend gossiping or complaining or analyzing or worrying about stuff that won’t even matter tomorrow?

Let your phone wait.

Let the important things in your life catch up with you.

Look at your friend’s face when they’re talking to you. Watch the way their eyes brighten and how they smile, when they talk about something they care about. What was their childhood like? What are they insecure about? What do they love to do that they lose themselves in? What do you really know about this person, and what do they know about you? Let this person catch up with you.

Watch the people around you, constantly moving, each beating heart hidden with precious stories, each craving the same love and depth of connection as you. Let them catch up with you, the ones who are looking up at the sky towards their dreams, the ones who are looking at you rather than down at their feet.

Feel the warmth of the sun rays on your skin. Notice the play of light on the leaves of the trees as they sway with the wind. Hear the ripple of spontaneous laughter echo to you from somewhere far away. Close your eyes, and let your breath catch up with you.

Let your thoughts catch up with you. Let your emotions catch up with you. Let your fears, vulnerabilities, and insecurities catch up with you. Let your hopes, aspirations, and ambitions catch up with you. Let yourself catch up with you.

Let your phone wait, because your real life is out there waiting to catch up with you.