We Live Surrounded by Two Screens
Let me ask you something—what are you thinking about right now?
Even if you’re sitting at home reading this article,
maybe your mind is wandering, thinking,
“What should I do tomorrow?” or “I kind of messed up that conversation earlier…”
Actually, it’s said that we spend every day living between two “screens.”
✅ Inner Screen
…The world inside your mind. Thoughts, daydreams, worries, memories, and imagination.
✅ Outer Screen
…The real world right in front of you. The scenery, people, sounds, temperature, and situations around you.
For example, let me share something that happened to me the other day.
I was standing on a train platform, waiting for my train.
In front of me, I should’ve been watching for the train’s arrival.
But in my head, I was completely caught up thinking about all the work I had to finish that day.
Before I knew it, the train had arrived—and I almost missed it because I was so lost in thought.
I think we’ve all had moments like that.
Or maybe the opposite—like when you’re so busy with work that you lose touch with your own thoughts and feelings.
You suddenly stop and wonder, “Wait… what am I even doing right now?”
In this way, we’re constantly shifting back and forth between the “inner screen” of our minds and the “outer screen” of reality.
But here’s the thing:
Most of us end up stuck on just one screen without realizing it.
✅ Some people focus only on the outer screen, ignoring what’s happening inside themselves.
✅ Others get lost in the inner screen, and the real world becomes blurry.
■ The key is balance
So how do we fix this?
The answer is to become aware of both screens at the same time.
For example, while waiting for the train,
it’s okay to plan your day in your head,
but also take a moment to notice,
“I’m standing on the platform. The air feels cold.”
Or if you notice your work isn’t going well,
pause and think,
“Huh, I’m really not focused right now,”
and gently bring your attention back.
In short:
✅ Just living inside your thoughts isn’t enough.
✅ Focusing only on the real world isn’t enough either.
Balancing both is what helps you stay centered and start taking control of your own life.
Since I started paying attention to this,
I’ve noticed myself thinking,
“Oh, I’m stuck in my head again,”
or
“Wow, I’m way too caught up in what’s happening around me.”
Even just that small awareness helps me feel calmer,
and somehow, my next actions feel smoother and more natural.
So why not try it today?
Just ask yourself:
“Which screen am I looking at right now?”
That one question might be the first small step toward truly waking up,
both in your dreams and in your everyday life.
Find the “Point of Awareness”
So, how can we become aware of both screens at the same time?
The key is finding what I call the “Point of Awareness.”
■ What is the Point of Awareness?
In everyday life, we’re usually focused on just one of these:
✅ Inner Screen – our thoughts, imagination, and emotions
✅ Outer Screen – the physical world in front of us
Most of the time, we unconsciously lean too far into one or the other.
For example, have you ever caught yourself scrolling through your phone without thinking?
Your mind gets completely absorbed in the digital world,
and you don’t even notice your family or friends sitting right next to you.
Or, on the flip side, maybe you’ve been so busy with tasks that you lose track of your own feelings.
Either way, when we focus too much on just one screen, we lose balance.
So, how do we regain that balance?
The answer is returning to the Point of Awareness.
This means stepping back and seeing both the inner screen and the outer screen at the same time—
noticing both what’s happening in your mind and what’s happening around you.
■ My personal experience
One day, I was working in a café.
I was supposed to be writing an article, but before I knew it,
I’d spent 30 minutes just scrolling through news on my phone.
When I finally noticed what had happened, I thought,
“Wow, my attention has been completely hijacked by my phone.”
That moment of realization was my chance to return to the Point of Awareness.
✅ Inner Screen – Lost in the world of my smartphone
✅ Outer Screen – The reality of my work waiting on my laptop
By recognizing both at the same time, I was able to snap back and refocus on what I was meant to be doing.
■ The more you notice, the more your life will change
The more often you catch yourself like this, the less you’ll get swept away by unconscious habits.
You can practice it anytime in daily life, like this:
✅ If you realize you’re staring at your phone during dinner, shift your focus back to enjoying your meal.
✅ If your mind wanders during a meeting, gently bring your attention back to the conversation.
✅ If you zone out while driving, take a moment to really notice the scenery around you.
The habit of regularly asking yourself,
“Where is my attention right now?”
helps you stop being controlled by outside influences, and instead lets you steer your own life.
■ Start with something simple
At first, just try it once a day.
Pause for a moment and ask yourself,
“What am I doing right now?”
And if you realize you’ve drifted off track, that’s actually a good thing!
That moment of awareness is your chance to reset.
You can always come back—again and again.
Over time, these small moments of awareness will build up,
and before you know it, they’ll create a powerful shift in the way you live your life.
Find the “Point of Awareness”
So, how can we become aware of both screens at the same time?
The key is finding what I call the “Point of Awareness.”
■ What is the Point of Awareness?
In everyday life, we’re usually focused on just one of these:
✅ Inner Screen – our thoughts, imagination, and emotions
✅ Outer Screen – the physical world in front of us
Most of the time, we unconsciously lean too far into one or the other.
For example, have you ever caught yourself scrolling through your phone without thinking?
Your mind gets completely absorbed in the digital world,
and you don’t even notice your family or friends sitting right next to you.
Or, on the flip side, maybe you’ve been so busy with tasks that you lose track of your own feelings.
Either way, when we focus too much on just one screen, we lose balance.
So, how do we regain that balance?
The answer is returning to the Point of Awareness.
This means stepping back and seeing both the inner screen and the outer screen at the same time—
noticing both what’s happening in your mind and what’s happening around you.
■ My personal experience
One day, I was working in a café.
I was supposed to be writing an article, but before I knew it,
I’d spent 30 minutes just scrolling through news on my phone.
When I finally noticed what had happened, I thought,
“Wow, my attention has been completely hijacked by my phone.”
That moment of realization was my chance to return to the Point of Awareness.
✅ Inner Screen – Lost in the world of my smartphone
✅ Outer Screen – The reality of my work waiting on my laptop
By recognizing both at the same time, I was able to snap back and refocus on what I was meant to be doing.
■ The more you notice, the more your life will change
The more often you catch yourself like this, the less you’ll get swept away by unconscious habits.
You can practice it anytime in daily life, like this:
✅ If you realize you’re staring at your phone during dinner, shift your focus back to enjoying your meal.
✅ If your mind wanders during a meeting, gently bring your attention back to the conversation.
✅ If you zone out while driving, take a moment to really notice the scenery around you.
The habit of regularly asking yourself,
“Where is my attention right now?”
helps you stop being controlled by outside influences, and instead lets you steer your own life.
■ Start with something simple
At first, just try it once a day.
Pause for a moment and ask yourself,
“What am I doing right now?”
And if you realize you’ve drifted off track, that’s actually a good thing!
That moment of awareness is your chance to reset.
You can always come back—again and again.
Over time, these small moments of awareness will build up,
and before you know it, they’ll create a powerful shift in the way you live your life.
Escape Society’s Trap with “Reprogramming”
We often think we’re making our own choices and living life on our own terms,
but in reality, many of us are unknowingly following “programs” created by society.
■ Have you ever had thoughts like these?
✅ “If I don’t get into a good university, I won’t have a good life.”
✅ “If I don’t join a big company, my future will be unstable.”
✅ “If I’m not popular on social media, I’m not valuable.”
Honestly, I used to be completely trapped by these kinds of programs.
When I was a student, I truly believed that getting good grades, going to a good school, and landing a good job was the only path to success.
Everyone around me believed the same, so I never even thought to question it.
But once I started working, I began to wonder:
“Is this really the life I wanted?”
Every day felt like a grind, stuck doing work I didn’t enjoy.
And yet, I kept telling myself, “This is just how adulthood works,” and “It’s normal to put up with it.”
Then one day, a simple question popped into my mind:
“Who decided this was the right way to live?”
■ That’s why reprogramming is necessary
From the moment we’re born, we are constantly fed values from our families, schools, and society.
It’s like someone installed a program in us without asking,
and even though we feel like we’re making our own choices, we’re actually being controlled.
And no matter how hard you work,
if you keep running on that program,
true freedom and real happiness will always stay out of reach.
That’s why we need reprogramming.
■ How do you reprogram yourself?
It’s actually quite simple:
✅ Ask yourself, “How do I really want to live?”
✅ Identify the values that truly matter to you.
✅ Set goals, believe in yourself, and take action every day.
That’s it.
■ What I actually did
When I felt stuck and restless,
I decided to write down what I really wanted in life.
What came out was simple:
“I want to do work I genuinely love.”
“I want to have deeper, more meaningful connections with people.”
From there, I started making changes—
slowly but surely, I began taking steps toward work that aligned with those feelings.
Of course, it was scary at first.
But as I moved away from the programs society had written for me,
and started following a life I chose for myself,
something amazing happened.
My heart felt lighter.
And life started to feel genuinely fun again.
■ You get to write your own script
If you’re feeling some vague discomfort or sense of dissatisfaction,
it might be because you’re still living out a program someone else gave you.
That’s exactly why it’s worth pausing to ask yourself:
“Is this really the life I want?”
And if the answer is no,
have the courage to rewrite your own program.
Set your goals.
Believe in them.
Take action.
Bit by bit, you’ll free yourself from society’s control
and finally live with true freedom.
After all, the script of your life is yours to write.