Last weekend I was deep into a podcast about someone’s reputation ruined by the internet when Drew caught me and asked me why I insisted on listening to depressing podcasts on the weekend. He insisted that I go outside (I brought a pen and paper). He was right – my habit had become to turn on an informative but often depressing or heavy podcast as way to kick off my weekend.
These days I am finding it especially not easy to forge a new path towards hope, optimism, beauty – to reject the constant on slot of negative news stories and I know I’m not alone here. It is easy to get confused and think that we are victims of the news – we are not. We can gather ourselves and move in a new direction, seek out better stories, or create our own – let in new experiences, put joy on our calendar even if it makes us feel uncomfortable, even if what we’ve gotten used to is being mostly less than happy and alone. Together we have to put forth the energy to move in the direction of joy, connection.
I can feel it everywhere – the lagging, sagging energy of too much alone time, too much bad news, too many burdens not balanced by joy and levity. We will get back to the place of joy and lightness, but we all have to find our courage to switch gears and join that path. Here are the practical steps I’m following if you want to join me:
– Connect with people you love in meaningful ways for honest, focused, present conversations
– Shut off news or content that is just making you angry or upset and not informing action or change – especially if you find that it is just making you more fearful
– Consider drinking less caffeine (this is on my list and I may be alone here 🙂
– Hold yourself accountable to showing up for your hobbies even if you feel too tired. If you find yourself in a loop with Netflix and social media in the evenings – take a break from that – commit to 30 minutes with a hobby and see how you feel. Good tunes help. Try Peter Gabriel’s album “So” on Spotify.
Our world is not an easy place to say the least. We’ve got to take care of ourselves and each other to make sure we don’t get trapped in fear and negativity, which seems to be the easiest place to access right now. (When I’m exhausted it is even easier.) What is harder is to find the courage and faith to make a U turn – to shut off that fear mongering podcast and get my dye studio set up, call a friend or sit here to write you. It may not be the easy option – but it is the path towards less fear, more beauty, more connection to ourselves and the Earth.
I am cheering you on through your U turn.
Go, fight, win
Reid