Lois Hewitt

August 1, 1981…the day MTV debuted. And my attention span started its downhill spiral. I did not have cable for many many years so I would have my mom just video tape hours of MTV. I learned to watch something for approximately three minutes and then it would change. I wanted my MTV!

I honestly think that type of entertainment rewired my brain and helped cause attention span difficulties. Fast forward to now and three minutes seems long in comparison to 30 second reels on FB.

I find myself continuously scrolling and scrolling, then when I want to concentrate I have a difficult time.

Back in the day, I suffered manic episodes so the video concept worked during those times. I would bounce off the walls while thinking of a hundred things at once. Never concentrating on one thing.

Now I want to slow down and learn intentionally living. But it is not as easy as one would think. I have never required myself to be overly disciplined. Hence the reason for so many of my problems.

Now I want to be more disciplined but I have an MTV attention span. Of course I am speaking of the days when they played music, I have no idea what they do now.

I am setting forth a path before me of teaching myself to live in the moment, to concentrate on the project at hand and to value the time I am spending, not just twiddling it away aimlessly.

How do I see this changing my life? Will it cut down on excessive worry? Yes! Will it bring joy to my soul to guiltlessly slow down? Yes! Will I be able to enjoy the book or the craft? Yes! And I think so much more.

I have always been on a treadmill, running from the past and running to an undisclosed future all the time passing the here and now.

Have you ever seen a movie where the main character is standing still, usually in the middle of a crowd, and the people around are zooming by? That’s how I feel, like I’m standing still while all around me is busyness and chaos. I want that no more for my life.

I know God does not expect us to run around without stopping. Yes, we are called to be productive but not at the cost of our health and well-being. He calls us to have purpose but also to have time to be with Him, time to be with friends and family, time to be creative and time to rest.

It’s easy to get busy with good things. But when they interfere with your mental health, we must step back and reevaluate.

No more MTV mentality for me. Life is made up of more than three minute experiences. I want to savor my life rather than pass it by. Slowing the world around you is not a bad thing. It might even be the healthiest thing you can do. I’m going to try it!