Well, I am happy to let you know that we do, indeed, live in interesting times. What are you doing to take care of yourself and make a difference in the world at the same time?
Consider the concept of a diet. Typically, this is time when we limit certain foods from our daily regimen in order to meet a physical goal like losing weight. A diet can be designed around anything in life from media to relationships. Just as there is no food diet that works for everyone, you need to gauge these things for yourself. Finding the right mix of food, exercise, people, places and things in your life will give you a healthier sense of self on every level.
We live in a time of sensorial bombardment. From the moment we wake up until the moment we fall asleep, we are receiving information from everything in our environment all of the time. Add electronic devices like televisions, computers, tablets, smart phones, apps that require our immediate attention make our neural networks operate in a constant state of receptivity and exchange with no down time. How can we manage this incessant river of information that wears us down to the point of overwhelm?
Go on an electronic diet. If you aren’t already doing it, give yourself time away from whatever part of the electronic highway that is not serving you best. Turn off alerts you receive from major news sources and social media as well as any around-the-clock news broadcasts, and the television you use to go to sleep. The news is a fear-based broadcasting medium, so limit your intake accordingly. Unplug. Give yourself some time away from these things and replace them with some new habits that make you feel energized rather than exhausted and unempowered.
There are many simple ways to revive yourself, you can close your eyes and take three to ten long deep breaths. Take a walk or a hike. Play some music that makes you feel expansive, relaxed, rejuvenated. Take a shower or walk barefoot on the earth. Create art. Write your feelings and stories. Sing a song that touches your heart. Talk with a person who truly sees you. Say no when you need to.
Another diet involves surrounding yourself with people who support you. Many of us bear emotional scars from the normative abuses we experienced growing up. Normative abuse occurs along a continuum of acceptability during the period in which it was experienced. Spanking is a good example of this. Enduring a parent with significant mental, psychological, physical issues, and/or substance abuse and/or maturing before our time are similar on-going offenses. If we experienced normative abuse, we are likely to think other people who treat us in a similar abusive manner are ok for us because it is familiar. We make it ok. Eventually we ask, “Why am I in this drama again?” With awareness, we learn to place a diet on the relationships in our lives, understanding that the world is a big place and we don’t need to keep eating the same bullshit from the same people.
These are interesting and demanding times. Take care of yourself so that you can be the best you can be to make this world a better place for us all. As much as you are able, please get the rest you need, eat the food that nourishes you and surround yourself with the people who see the truth of who you are. If you need guidance, I am here to help.
Wishing you all the best in these interesting times,
Michael