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Modern Distractions and the Quiet Return to Yourself

The Wild Gems2 Comments

We live in a world that is constantly asking for our attention.

Not always loudly. Sometimes it’s subtle. A quick glance at the phone. A habit of filling silence. A pull to stay mentally “on” even when nothing is actually happening.

And slowly, without noticing, we can start living more reactively than presently.

Same world, deeper view… but only when we pause long enough to actually see it.

The nature of modern distraction

Most distractions today don’t feel like distractions in the moment. They feel normal. Even necessary.

But if you begin to observe them closely, you start to notice a pattern—they pull us out of direct experience and into constant stimulation.

Not to label them as bad, but to simply become aware.

Digital noise

Our phones are often the first and last thing we touch in a day.

  • Scrolling without intention
  • Checking notifications out of habit
  • Moving from app to app without realizing how much time has passed
  • Short-form videos that keep the mind in constant motion

None of this is unusual anymore. But it does something quietly—it fragments attention.

The mind that never stops

Even when we’re not on our phones, the mind continues the movement.

  • Replaying conversations
  • Imagining future outcomes
  • Comparing our lives to others
  • Trying to solve problems that are not happening in the present moment

It’s not wrong. It’s just busy.

And sometimes, busyness can become a way of avoiding stillness.

The pace of life

We’ve learned to equate movement with productivity.

  • Always rushing, even when there’s no urgency
  • Filling every quiet moment with sound or content
  • Overbooking our time so there’s no space left to just be

But depth doesn’t grow in rush. It grows in space.

Subtle forms of escape

Not all distractions look like technology.

Sometimes it’s:

  • Shopping to shift a feeling
  • Seeking validation through responses or attention
  • Constantly trying to improve or fix ourselves
  • Mistaking information for transformation

Even “growth” can become a distraction if it keeps us from actually being here.

What begins to change when you notice

You don’t have to remove everything.

You just start noticing.

And in that noticing, something quiet happens—you begin to return.

Return to:

  • the moment you are actually in
  • the experience happening right in front of you
  • the simplicity of being aware

This is where perception starts to deepen.

Not because the world changes…
but because you are no longer moving through it on autopilot.

Same world.
Deeper view.

A softer way of living

Maybe the goal isn’t to escape distraction completely.

Maybe it’s just to notice when you’ve been pulled away… and gently come back.

Over and over again.

Not perfectly.
Not forcefully.
Just consistently.

Because life is not happening in the next scroll, the next thought, or the next moment of stimulation.

It’s happening here.

Always here.

Still Waiting for a Sign

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Sometimes I wish she’d visit me in a dream.

Just once.

Just to say, “Hey, I know we didn’t get to be together in the earthly realm, but it was all for a reason. Just know I’m with you, and it’s all okay.”

I’ve heard stories from others about feathers on their doorstep, songs on the radio at just the right time, vivid dreams where their loved ones speak clearly. I try to hold space for those stories, to feel joy for them…

but I can’t help wondering—why not me?

I lost my birth mother, and along with her, a lifetime of moments we never got to share. There’s a quiet ache that comes from not getting to know someone who shaped your very beginning. Now that she’s in the spirit world, part of me longs for just one sign. One dream. One whisper.

But there’s only silence.

And yet… maybe that silence doesn’t mean absence.

Maybe the connection is still there, just not in the way I expected.

Maybe she’s been with me all along when I’ve felt courage I didn’t know I had, or grace that came out of nowhere. I’m apart of her, I know that, and getting to know me is getting to know her too.

Still, I hope.

I hope that one night, maybe in a dream, she’ll say what my heart has longed to hear:

“I see you. I’ve always loved you. And even though we couldn’t be together in this life…..your path, it’s unfolding exactly as it should.”

Until then, I’ll keep listening.

And I’ll keep trusting that love finds a way,

even in the quiet.

Bowel Movements After Surgery – The Struggle Is Real

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TMI?

Maybe, for some. But right now someone just had surgery and they are struggling and it sucks.

So if this blog even helps one person I’m thankful for that. And I also I told God —

“If you help me poop I’ll write a blog about it and help people” haha! So here we are!

Now the surgery that I recently had in short terms was a bowel obstruction surgery. It was intense. Completely unexpected too. (A scar adhesion had attached itself to my small intestine completely twisting it and they had to remove 26 cm of it)

When I had awaken and my surgery was done I knew how important it was to pass gas and have a bowel movement.

It’s crazy how excited and thankful you get that you farted. Every fart is a win I kid you not.

Just to give you an idea I had my surgery on a Tuesday Evening and I didn’t have a bowel movement until Monday, so it had been almost 7 days!

I was also on a liquid diet for close to 3 days.

So if it’s been awhile since you had a bowel movement after your surgery try not to stress too much.

(SIDE NOTE: painkillers can and usually do cause constipation)

What I took after my surgery was miralax and that had worked really well for me at first and then I had another moment where it had been a few days (almost 6 days) that I had gone.

By this time I was already recovering for 4 weeks. What I took was colace 2 in 1 stool softener and stimulant and that worked like a charm with some cramping though.

I can tell you my digestive system is still not quite back to normal. I’m still figuring out a new diet and routine but we have to be patient and give our bodies LOTS of grace.

But one day at a time, friends.

No one talks about this but the struggle is real and you’re not alone.

Sending you all the poop vibes.

Who You See on the Outside Is Only a Fragment of Who They Are Inside

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One of my favorite quotes from The Little Prince is, “…what is essential is invisible to the eye.” It reminds me how easy it is to assume we know someone’s story based on what we see, but in reality, we often know so little about the depths within them.

Each of us is like a book, with chapters that remain unread until someone curious enough comes along to open our pages. There’s no space for judgment when we truly think about it. Every appearance, lifestyle, and action holds a story, and we see only the surface.

Before we categorize or make assumptions, let’s try to understand. Let’s give grace where it’s needed. Remember, others know only fragments of you, just as you see only fragments of them.

No Time To Waste

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Do you need time?

I will share that there is no time to waste.

I feel each of us will always want more time but that is not really in our control as many of us want to believe. And that can be a very difficult thing to accept.

Our minds get stuck in the past or the future and lose touch with being present.

A healthy lifestyle is good for quality of life but doesn’t ensure longevity. Remember this.

Day by day is what we have. Day by day.

Every moment is a gift.

We need to change the mindset to be thankful for all the time we have been given.

You’ve been given more time than most. Let’s appreciate that together and waste no more of it.

Awareness that time is limited helps to enjoy the little things and encourages us to be more giving and helpful to others.

Your faith is key.

I Am You, And You Are Me

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Think of the ocean, and all the waves within its vast, beautiful blue. Now think of us, as people, each like a wave in that ocean. Each wave is unique and separate in its own way, yet it’s still water, still part of something larger. Just as waves belong to the ocean, we are all connected. It can feel, at times, like we’re on our own or completely different from others, but beneath the surface, we share many similarities and are part of something so vast and profound that it stretches beyond what our minds can fully comprehend.

When we’re reminded to “love thy neighbor,” to treat others how we wish to be treated, or to follow the Golden Rule—it’s because, in essence, you are them, and they are you.

We Don’t Really Own Anything

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Not too long ago, I had a realization: we don’t truly own anything. Everything we currently have is here for our enjoyment, to serve us, to bring us joy, or to help others. But we don’t actually own these things. We’re essentially borrowing them for however long we’re here, because when we pass, none of “our things” will go with us. Recognizing this has made me appreciate all that I “have” even more. These are gifts from God; yet, because they’re not really ours, we shouldn’t hold on too tightly. Let me explain.

A while back, I was on Facebook and saw a story that beautifully illustrated this. A man shared that he was at a gas station when he saw someone who was homeless and didn’t have shoes. His wife told him, “Take off your shoes and give them to that man.” And he did, without hesitation. Now, he could’ve easily thought, No, these are my favorite shoes—I paid a lot for them. But he didn’t, because he wasn’t attached.

It’s human nature to grow attached to our things, and it can be challenging to let go. But when the opportunity arises to share something that “belongs” to us, it’s a chance to pass on joy and appreciation to someone else. We can thank these things for the role they played in our lives and let them go. This doesn’t have to be a gift to a stranger—it could be to family or friends as well.

Personally, I’m learning that the more I give and let go of things, the more space I create—both in my home and in my mind. We don’t need nearly as much as we think we do. Why hold on when there are others who might need or benefit from what we no longer use? I have a few selected items that I hope can stay within my family, shared and appreciated across generations. But for everything else, I’m letting go of the idea that they belong to me.

“The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away.” Be grateful for everything God is lending you right now—everything.

What You Are Looking For Is Not Out There, It’s Within You

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Have you ever spent time looking all over your home for your glasses, only to discover they’ve been on your head the whole time? Or maybe you searched everywhere for your phone, only to realize it’s been tucked in your back pocket? Sometimes, life is like that. What we’re searching for to fill a certain void isn’t out there, it’s already within us.

You might think a specific achievement, possession, or relationship will finally make you feel complete. But when you get it, that familiar emptiness still lingers, leaving you confused and wondering, Why do I still feel this way?

The truth is, the answer you’re looking for is right where you are. To find it, spend time getting to know yourself, just like you would with someone new. What makes you tick? Why do you react a certain way? What brings you peace? What made you feel alive as a child?

Keep asking yourself why, and dig deeper. “That’s just who I am” is rarely the whole truth. You are layered, complex, and beautifully unique. Discover the colors, textures, and tools that shaped you into who you are. Not every discovery will be easy—some may be painful—but that’s part of the journey. Vulnerability strengthens our connections with others, and being vulnerable with yourself does the same.

No one in this world knows you the way you do. You alone hold the knowledge of your experiences, your dreams, your fears. And you are worth knowing. You are worth your own love. Take the time to see yourself for the miracle you truly are.

m.g.

15 Recovery Affirmations

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Recovery affirmations to help support healing—whether it’s physical, emotional, or spiritual:

1. I honor the time my body and spirit need to heal.

2. Each day, I grow stronger and more resilient.

3. I release any guilt or shame attached to my past and embrace the present.

4. I am patient with myself, and I trust the process of healing.

5. Every breath I take fills me with calm and peace.

6. I allow myself to feel joy, even in moments of challenge.

7. My body knows how to heal, and I trust it to guide me.

8. I am worthy of rest, renewal, and restoration.

9. The love I give myself fuels my recovery.

10. I forgive myself and others, freeing my heart from pain.

11. I am not defined by my scars; they show my strength.

12. I welcome the support and love that helps me grow.

13. Each day is a fresh start, full of potential and healing energy.

14. I am learning, growing, and healing at my own pace.

15. I trust that everything I need for healing is already within me.

These affirmations are great for reinforcing a positive mindset during recovery, reminding you to be kind to yourself and stay focused on the process of growth and healing. ❤️‍🩹

Cozy Fall Bucket List – 20 Things To-do

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Here’s a fun and cozy fall bucket list with at least 20 things you can do to fully embrace the season:

1. Visit a pumpkin patch and pick the perfect pumpkins.

2. Carve or paint pumpkins with creative designs.

3. Go apple picking at a local orchard.

4. Bake a homemade apple pie or pumpkin bread.

5. Take a scenic hike to enjoy the fall foliage.

6. Go on a hayride or take a trip to a corn maze.

7. Have a bonfire night with s’mores and hot cider.

8. Decorate your home with fall-themed decor like leaves, gourds, and cozy candles.

9. Host a cozy movie night with classic fall or Halloween movies.

10. Attend a fall festival or farmers market.

11. Make homemade chili or a hearty soup for a cozy dinner.

12. Create a gratitude list and reflect on what you’re thankful for.

13. Have a picnic outside, surrounded by colorful fall leaves.

14. Go thrift shopping for cozy fall sweaters and scarves.

15. Collect leaves and create a fall craft or wreath.

16. Try a new fall-flavored coffee, tea, or hot chocolate.

17. Visit a haunted house or go on a ghost tour.

18. Start a fall-inspired book or reading list.

19. Create a fall playlist with your favorite cozy songs.

20. Stargaze on a clear, cool fall night wrapped in blankets.