Celebrate the 4th of July + the Moments That Matter

The 4th of July is a celebration of independence and a reminder to pause.

To breathe.

To laugh with friends.

To watch the fireworks without holding your phone up the whole time.

To be present—because life moves fast, and if we don’t stop to enjoy it, it will pass us by.

We get 168 hours each week. That’s it. And if we’re not intentional with that time, it gets swallowed by meetings, alerts, endless scrolls, and inbox noise. So this weekend, I’m encouraging myself, and maybe you too, to put down the phone, close the laptop, and live the holiday.

The last few months have been difficult for us in tech and cloud. Layoffs, changes, and reorganizations have affected too many talented people. While I was fortunate to stay on through the latest round, I know what survivor’s guilt feels like, and I’m thinking of those who are navigating their next chapter.

So this 4th, I’m not just celebrating freedom as a nation, I’m celebrating our liberty:

• The freedom to hit pause.
• The freedom to choose where we spend our time.
• The freedom to reconnect with what and who matters most.

Here’s to the people.

Here’s to presence.

And here’s to using our 168 hours to build a life worth celebrating.

Happy 4th, everyone 

#IndependenceDay #FourthOfJuly #168Hours #BePresent #TimeWellSpent #LifeMovesFast #WorkLifeBalance #Gratitude #Liberty #TechCommunity #Leadership #Wellbeing #MichaelEarls