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I am a writer, so I think I'll just write

You know the old saying, don't overthink this, well, I think I have been guilty of doing just that. Since beginning this new chapter of my life, becoming a published writer, I have studied marketing concepts and listened to many other experts on how you make it as an author. Not so much about actually writing, no more about how to market yourself and your books. I have found that you can listen to, too much advice, then you reach the point of realizing that you are sacrificing why you wanted to write in the first place. I made that mistake. I wanted to follow the formula that all authors are told to follow, website, social media posts, informative newsletter, blah, blah, blah. You end up spending all your time on everything except what is really important, your writing. I want to write great things, interesting things, thought-provoking things, not strive to be a social media darling or spend all my time churning out banal newsletters that have nothing to do with my thoughts or passions.

So, having said all that, I move forward on being a writer first, and a marketeer second, I know, I know, you have to market yourself and your product or you'll never make any money, you'll never be a success. Marketing is important, I agree, but, there are different kinds of success in the world, not just financial. Sure, becoming a rich and famous author would be wonderful, can't argue that, but, there are authors all over the world spending all their time on marketing and social media posts who still sell very few books and are unknown, except to their family and friends. Financial rewards and fame would be nice, but writing well and inspiring, touching, and entertaining others is the most important job an author has, and he should never forget that. I am determined for myself, not to lose that important idea again. I want to write about what is important, I want to write about the thoughts, ideas, and things that entertain and enrich me. Folks, I've made up my mind to do just that. No more newsletters with helpful information and topical stories that have nothing to do with me, or what's on my mind. No, I am going to be writing what moves me, and then share it with the world. I will do social media, a lot actually, but on my terms. I'm a storyteller, a historian, a dreamer of what the future can be, but someone who loves to remember their past, loves to remember the people and events that helped shape it and the world we live in. In the end, everyone has a story to tell, I want to hear yours, and I definitely want you to hear mine.

The Tech Revolution, The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

Wow, how times have changed in the last thirty years. Remember payphones, beepers, electronic organizers, and couples talking to each other in restaurants instead of staring at their phones. Ahh... yes, the good old days right. Young folks, that is human beings much younger than I, can't fathom that civilization survived before the smartphone was created. Being able to contact another person at any time or look up information at the touch of a screen seems to be their birthright. No question the technological revolution of the last twenty to thirty years has in a hundred different ways made our lives easier and given us more time to pursue the things that are important to us. But, taking that all into account, at what cost, and more specifically, what are the downsides of all this "digital bliss", to human beings that we rarely even consider.

As your 'Life Fisherman' I felt it my duty to share what many studies are beginning to find out about the darker side of living a digital life.

First off, there are both psychological and physical adverse effects of too much technology ruling our lives. And before we delve further, I know, I know, I am going to sound like that old dude sitting on his front porch swing, shotgun on his lap, talking about the old days, his glory days as the old song would say. Not much I can do about that, truth is truth, and moderation in everything in life is always a good idea, even in the use of all the techy toys around.

First, we look at the psychological effects of too much of a good digital thing. Many people who spend a lot of their time on social media sights suffer from depression and anxiety. Much of this is fueled by all the negativity they encounter on these sights. I don't know about you, but people for some reason think it's okay to insult and denigrate others on social media, say things online that they would never say to someone face to face, I got news for you types, it's not. Feelings of Isolation are another negative psychological effect many people suffer from who spend too much time and energy online. Human beings need to spend real time with real people, it's how we are wired. When we don't, instead spend most of our time alone staring at our phone or tablet, we begin to feel isolated from others. This isolation that many folks begin to feel can lead to even greater depression and in some tragic cases, suicide. People, we need to take our heads off the screens in our lives sometimes and focus our faces on other faces, you know like in the old days.

Then there are a plethora, big word I know, of physical problems that can arise from spending too much time in the 'fake world', like sleep issues, eyestrain, and the 'big ones', heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and even premature death from a sedentary life spent with a phone or tablet sitting in one's hands too long. Experts say to never go to sleep right after spending time on your digital devices. The 'blue light' that they convey stimulates our brains and cause disturbances in the body's circadian rhythm. This disturbance can make it harder to fall asleep at night and can make a person much less alert the next day. Oh, and let us not forget about all the back and neck problems popping up all over the world from spending too much time sitting and staring at our screens. Chiropractors are making a fortune off of this 'new brave' digital world. Eye issues are so prevalent that eye doctors are now recommending a 20-20-20 rule. That means for 20 minutes of screen time, people need to take a twenty-second break and fix their eyes on something at least twenty feet away. This exercise will help with eyestrain and the problems associated with it.

Finally, there is the issue of what all this is doing to our children. Children's brains are still developing and even more sensitive to the effects of the overuse of technology. Studies show that children who overuse technology suffer from a plethora of their own problems, there's that big word again. These can include, low academic performance, ADHD, low creativity, delays in language development, delays in social and emotional development, aggressive behaviors, and then some of the same things their parents deal with as mentioned above, problems with sleep, depression, anxiety, and obesity. All fun stuff to chew on as parents right. Maybe we shouldn't feel so guilty when we kick our kid off of his or her smartphone.

So, what it all comes down to is this, too much of anything, even a good thing can turn into something not so good. When it comes to your digital life consumption, like everything else, moderation is still best.

Well... that's about it for today from your favorite Life Fisherman and author, me.

Knowledge is food for brains and bodies and we all should be fishing for something better in life.

If you like this blog check out my monthly newsletter that I just started this month. You can sign up on my website: www.andrewscottbassett.com. Also check out my first book, 'Fishing for Something', you can order it today on Amazon, or anywhere else online, you'll love it!

Blessings...

Your Life Fisherman

Andrew Scott Bassett