Thursday, August 29, 2013

Sometimes It's Good to Tune Out

With so many rapidly changing headlines, images, and soundbites and so many instantaneous ways to access them- from Facebook, to Twitter, to Tumbler- you name it!- it can feel impossibly hard to stay caught up! To say nothing of the dishes, pet hair, and/or bills that may or may not be piling up...

And, it's good to be able to follow the news! We're here to change things for the better and communicate with each other. But, with more outlets than ever before to stay abreast of the latest and greatest, what are we to do when part of us feels compelled to read as many articles as possible, regardless of the tension in our bodies? Well, remembering to breathe is always a good start!

What comes next is whatever works for you. To stay sane, we must make a habit of continually checking in with our bodies and minds to maintain, restore, or find balance in our busy lives. It used to be as easy as locking the door and unplugging the telephone. Nowadays, it can feel a little harder to take a moment for ourselves.

Or, is it? How can we make this global culture we are citizens of work for us instead of feeling overwhelming? We can pick and choose what and when we pay attention to the news. When we're tense and nervous, triggered and tired, it may be a good time for a comedy- or unplugging from the media! When we're feeling unmotivated, maybe tuning into a free online guided meditation would be useful.

With the world at our fingertips, it is perhaps more important than ever to be thoughtful about what we give our attention. The beauty of being human is that we are capable of caring deeply- but our very nature also requires that we take a breather every now and again to maintain optimal health. I'm suggesting it's beneficial to let the news pass us by sometimes! It will still be there when we return.

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