Check Your Analog/Digital Balance

As an older millennial (I was born in January, 1981) I feel incredibly fortunate to have grown up in a time before the internet. I lived in the 'real' world before the digital one took over. That 'real' world taught me what it’s like to be fully present, in the here and now. To go on adventures with no idea of what would unfold, and with nobody really knowing where I was. The art of research, of going to the library and leafing through real books written by real authors as reference . To create just to make something because, well I wanted to, not because I felt like I had to document the process as 'content'. To live without a screen perpetually in my hand, demanding my attention 24/7.

I also lived through the shift. I watched the entire digital evolution unfold in real time. From dial-up modems (ask anyone my age to replicated what those things sounded like!) to smartphones, from floppy disks to the cloud, from analog everything to digital everything. And now that I reflect back with a hint of nostalgia, I can feel the difference in my nervous system, my creativity, and my connection to the world around me.

From the lens of creativity, music is one of the clearest examples of this shift.

In my lifetime, I’ve seen it move from records to cassette tapes to CDs to MP3 players to now being entirely on our phones. But one of my earliest memories is sitting on the floor in front of my parents’ record collection, a living room wall length altar of sound and art. I would spend hours just looking at the album covers, opening the inserts, reading about the bands, studying the photography and liner notes. It wasn’t just about listening. It was a visual, tactile, full-body experience.

You had to physically engage with the music. You picked up the record, removed it from the sleeve, placed it on the turntable, and gently lowered the needle. You heard the crackle before the first note even played. You were in it. Present. Part of it.

Fast forward to now, and music has become just another thing we scroll past. You can listen to a song and not even know who made it, what they look like, or what the album is called. There’s no physical interaction, no real engagement. Just content. Streaming endlessly.

One of the core teachings of Taoism (and a foundation of my creative wellness philosophy, Curate a Life that is a Work of Art) is balance. Yin and Yang. Stillness and movement. And in today’s world, one of the biggest imbalances we face is the divide between analog and digital.

We check in with our work-life balance. We think about nutrition, hydration, rest, a 'balanced' diet. But how often do we check our analog-digital balance?

If you’re feeling overstimulated, anxious, numb, scattered, uninspired, chances are, you’ve been stuck in the digital for too long, and it's time to balance that out with some analog intention.

So here’s the invitation:

Come back to the analog.  Come back to the real.

It can be simple:

• Walk into the kitchen and prepare a snack - mindfully.

• Pick up a book and let your fingers turn the pages.

• Go for a walk without your phone. Feel the breeze.

• Sit with your pet. Feel their energy without saying a word.

• Talk to someone face-to-face. Eye contact. Presence.

• Create with your hands. Paint, write, cook, build.

These are not small things. This is what creating is all about. Being present. Using your hands. Intentional moments that make life feel like art.

As someone who Curates a Life that is a Work of Art, I believe our attention is one of the most precious resources we have. And when we spend it all in digital spaces, we lose the magic of being here, of being human. We forget how to feel. How to see. How to slow down and engage with the world around us.

The digital is useful, and yes it's necessary these days. But like everything else in life, it must be balanced with an equal measure of analog practice. Balance = Harmony. 

Stay human. Stay analog.