Why always being right can be a bad thing

Monk Mindset Principle #6: Seek Nothing To Find Everything
Your Most Important Relationship

Sr. John Paul, CFR Sisters

Sometimes I like to think of our convents as think tanks. Not because we're all so smart, but because we can take a question none of us knows the answer to and think it through together. We don't have a smartphone to look things up. We rely on the brains God gave us, and often it ends in laughter. Whether we get the answer right isn't really the point. We're growing in relationship through it.

In the book of Genesis, God says, "It’s not good for man to be alone." We're made for relationship. Deep, meaningful ones, not only with others, but most especially with God. Too often we let other things crowd Him into a lesser place.

The excessive use of phones has become a real challenge to a full life. As I lean into my relationship with God instead, there is more peace in being guided by His loving care.

I'm not saying technology should be removed from your life. It's part of the world we live in, and much of it is necessary. What we have a responsibility to do is make sure we're using it as it is, a tool, and not letting it take the place of the relationships we're called into.

Put It Into Practice

Pick a period of the day and keep a pad of paper with you. Each time you pick up your phone, write it down. At the end, notice how many times you’ve picked it up by instinct.

Then, after that day, select one way you can turn your attention back from your phone to what is around you. Maybe that's burying your phone in your bag on your commute, leaving it in your coat when you're with others, or setting it outside of your room If you need to reduce their screen time, we developed an app blocking feature on the Monk Mindset app to block unwanted apps whenever you need to focus.