Day 298 of 365 - Swept Away
One of the daily focus audios which I use to prompt my direction guided us today to not get caught up in chaotic energy. Good advice, I think for any day, but some days we are more prone to it than others. It reminded me of how easily I can get swept away in just about any form of chaos, if I allow myself to become immersed in it.
It seems like I keep blaming our culture and media for so many of our woes. Yes, they are a mighty influence on us. Drama of almost any kind is heavily promoted, mainly because it sells things. Our economy thrives by letting us know about problems created, either by others, the world, or ourselves, to name just a few. These problems need solutions. Solutions, in the form of any thing that will make us feel better, are what sells. What makes us feel better, if only temporarily, might be shopping for clothes, buying a new car or eating some kind of yummy fast food. It can be so many things, really.
The trouble with living in a culture and surrounded by media which reinforces drama is, that it becomes addictive. Our brains come to crave it. Before we know it, we are swept away again. Once that brain track is well established, it doesn't have to be some physical thing that appeals or soothes. It can just be the emotional experience.
As an example, think of some troubling situation or other that has recently occurred in your life. Sure, it was something that did not feel good, something that made you feel some kind of pain, anger, anxiety, dismay, or whatever. Think of how you reacted, what you sought out to feel better.
Now, if left to your own devices, you may have just dealt with whatever arose and then got on with your day. But, if you had the opportunity to share your bad news with others, chances are the ball got rolling to keep reinforcing your bad feeling. Initially, all that ranting back and forth may actually feel pretty good. It kind of takes away the personal sense of pressure we feel, especially when we demand that the amorphous 'they' ought to do something about it. But, have you noticed sometimes that when you come away from a situation like that, you actually feel worse? That's because it essentially amplified the stress response of your nervous system.
I'm well aware that life is sometimes unfair and that bad things happen to good people, and I'm not suggesting we never share our troubles with others. Of course, emotional support and concrete help are very valuable. What we might want to be more selective about is how and with whom we share those stories. Wouldn't you prefer for example to have an empathic listener who gives you a hug or a gentle touch and offers practical advice? I'd rather get swept away in that comforting feeling than in a situation that just winds me up tighter.
My point is that, we ought to give our sense of mental and emotional stability a higher priority. Sometimes that means being more selective in our interactions and our communication choices. After all, we now know very well that prolonged stress can have many negative effects on our health and wellness. Let's chase more wellness and less stress when we can, shall we?
It seems like I keep blaming our culture and media for so many of our woes. Yes, they are a mighty influence on us. Drama of almost any kind is heavily promoted, mainly because it sells things. Our economy thrives by letting us know about problems created, either by others, the world, or ourselves, to name just a few. These problems need solutions. Solutions, in the form of any thing that will make us feel better, are what sells. What makes us feel better, if only temporarily, might be shopping for clothes, buying a new car or eating some kind of yummy fast food. It can be so many things, really.
The trouble with living in a culture and surrounded by media which reinforces drama is, that it becomes addictive. Our brains come to crave it. Before we know it, we are swept away again. Once that brain track is well established, it doesn't have to be some physical thing that appeals or soothes. It can just be the emotional experience.
As an example, think of some troubling situation or other that has recently occurred in your life. Sure, it was something that did not feel good, something that made you feel some kind of pain, anger, anxiety, dismay, or whatever. Think of how you reacted, what you sought out to feel better.
Now, if left to your own devices, you may have just dealt with whatever arose and then got on with your day. But, if you had the opportunity to share your bad news with others, chances are the ball got rolling to keep reinforcing your bad feeling. Initially, all that ranting back and forth may actually feel pretty good. It kind of takes away the personal sense of pressure we feel, especially when we demand that the amorphous 'they' ought to do something about it. But, have you noticed sometimes that when you come away from a situation like that, you actually feel worse? That's because it essentially amplified the stress response of your nervous system.
I'm well aware that life is sometimes unfair and that bad things happen to good people, and I'm not suggesting we never share our troubles with others. Of course, emotional support and concrete help are very valuable. What we might want to be more selective about is how and with whom we share those stories. Wouldn't you prefer for example to have an empathic listener who gives you a hug or a gentle touch and offers practical advice? I'd rather get swept away in that comforting feeling than in a situation that just winds me up tighter.
My point is that, we ought to give our sense of mental and emotional stability a higher priority. Sometimes that means being more selective in our interactions and our communication choices. After all, we now know very well that prolonged stress can have many negative effects on our health and wellness. Let's chase more wellness and less stress when we can, shall we?
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