On a scale of 1 to 10, how stressed are you typically? And how frustrated, after the awful year we’ve just had?
We are flooded and bombarded with reasons, information and situations that generate stress and tension in us on a daily basis, and in the past year more than ever. One of the more prominent sources of exposure to stress (if not THE prominent), for many of us, is social media and the news. It may seem “inevitable” in times such as these, but, how true is that?
Each time we succumb to the impulse to engage with stressful information, and scroll through, read and/or respond to posts that evoke anger, frustration, fear, hate, or helplessness in us, we pile on and perpetuate stress and negative energy in our body and mind. Each angering post, each enraging response, amass inside us more and more tension. Our bodies, minds and hearts, which never have a chance to calm down and heal, are damaged.
Beyond being pawns and victims of the information managing powers and their systems, which are designed to hook us in and make a profit at our expense, there are a number of interesting reasons for the strong pull so many of us feel to dive in so frequently into the muddy pool of negativity and splash therein with others… Most often these are irrational motivations that attempt to satisfy unconscious needs, such as the need to belong, the need to define ourselves and express ourselves, the need to release anger and frustration, the need to feel and demonstrate that we are acting in line with our values, and more. Do you recognize any of these as perhaps being part of your motivation?
But how much and how well does this often obsessive engagement with social media negativity actually serve our important life goals or contribute to the causes we care about? (Not so much). And what is the price we pay for this questionable indulgence? (It’s quite high indeed).
The constant presence of stress and negative energy in our body and mind has real, adverse effects on both our physical and mental/emotional wellbeing. In addition to the better known physiological consequences of ongoing stress, such as high blood pressure and heart rate, excessive amounts of adrenaline with its myriad problems, chronic pains, digestion issues and much more, the ongoing presence of stress and negativity also impedes our ability to relax, to get quality sleep, to deal successfully with challenges, and to enjoy our daily lives.
When we expose ourselves again and again to stress and negative emotions such as anger, frustration, fear and helplessness, we also impact the quality of our internal energy, the one that moves us and shapes how we act and react toward the world around us and how we perceive and understand our experiences. The more negativity we let in, the more we tend toward a generally negative outlook, the more frustration we live with, the less creativity and productivity we have, and the more we tend toward depression and hopelessness. Our interactions with others suffer as well, and tend to be less generous, less tolerant, and less open.
Granted, life presents us with many challenges and sources of stress that are often hard or impossible to avoid. Having awareness of this issue can help you recognize that you may have significant choice, perhaps more than you were aware of, in terms of where, when and how much you expose your body and mind to certain sources of stress, be it on social media, TV news, or certain people and situations in your life.
The key takeaway is that the choice whether to open yourself to stress and negativity has dramatic impact on the quality of your internal energy, and through it, on your world and life experiences. You can choose to foster and nurture in yourself positive, constructive energy, and you can protect it from far-reaching damage by choosing to steer away from sources of stress and negativity, whatever they may be.
Every day, every hour, is a new opportunity to choose again.
The world will be the same and your heart and mind will thank you. The positive effects of choosing to avoid stress and negativity are usually immediate...
Ask yourself:
What sources of frequent stress and negativity do you recognize in your life? (work situation, social relationships, social media or news, burdening thoughts, your time table/schedule, family)
In what ways does stress manifest in your life? (physical, mental-emotional, inter-personal, etc.)
What would be possible, and how would day to day be different, if there was less stress present in your daily life?
You’ll find lots of great ideas to help you nurture your calm, happy and positive energy in my “Guide to Survival in Tough Times, my gift to you when you sign up for my mailing list below.
Reactions to the above? Thoughts? Questions? Ideas? I’d love to hear from you!
