25 Mar Turning Down the Negative Noise of the Modern World
We live in a world of a thousand distractions. In our highly connected environment, powered by high-speed internet, invasive advertising and society’s symbols of ‘success’, it is easy to suffer from overwhelm and burnout. We are often so wrapped up in unnecessary worry which drowns out the simple pleasures in life and the ability to be present. Life can be tough enough on its own with everyday struggles, family or health issues, and making a living. Added with the stimulation of the modern-world; pressure to succeed in a career, live a desirable ‘social media worthy’ lifestyle, aspire to beauty standards or possess the ever-growing list of material must have items, can cause people to never feel fully satisfied.
I call these added pressures we are all susceptible to the negative noise of the modern. This negative noise has a detrimental effect on the way we think and ultimately our wellbeing. The good thing is, it is can be turned down and even switched off. Helping us to live a calmer, happier and more fulfilled existence.
Social media is now so woven in to our daily lives, that checking Instagram or Facebook, has become as routine as brushing your teeth. Spending too long on social media has been proven to adversely effect mood, and increase poor mental health including symptoms of anxiety and depression. It can be great to keep in touch with friends or promote your business, however it can cause us to compare our lives to others and create unrealistic perceptions success, lifestyle, wealth and body image.
One way to avoid the negative noise caused by social media is to limit your time to less than half an hour per day, unfollow the accounts that don’t make you feel good about yourself and remember that you are seeing a polished version of something and you never really know what is going on behind the scenes.
Success and achievement are highly valued in our society. Often, they are equated to accomplishment in the workplace, moving higher up the ladder or making more money to buy bigger or better things. Keeping up with the Joneses is an old phrase, but still ever relevant today. Though nowadays, it’s more like keeping up with the Kardashians or the Royals! In a world where we can peek into the lives of the rich and famous from the comfort of a smartphone, it’s normal to think thoughts of “I’m not good/attractive/successful enough.”
It is important we are aware of the pressures society can have on us and the people we love. Being influenced by glossy magazines with airbrushed models, advertisements telling us we’ll be happier with the latest car model and listening to someone brag about how ‘perfect’ their life is, aren’t doing us any favours. Many of us feel overloaded with information and suffer from decision fatigue with all the thing we think we should be doing and how quickly we think they need doing. Being stressed with the things we ‘need’ to fit in to one day to be productive is common. ‘Busy’ is often something we hide behind to prove to we are high achieving or in demand. Instead of concentrating on all these external elements, take a look at how you feel on the inside. Creating a calm and happy place within us, should be our greatest concern. After all this is what will guide us and keep us mentally stable through the twists and turns that life throws at us.
Regardless how much we achieve, we will always come across people who live more extravagant lifestyles, own a larger property or seem to fall on good fortune. We must counteract negative spirals of comparison by accepting that there will always be people better off than us, but equally there are people who are worse off. Being grateful for what you do have and considering all the things that make you wholly unique from others is vital to quell comparisonitus and reinforce positive self-esteem.
Stress and anxiety can manifest as feelings of low self-worth and poor self-confidence. It is OK to experience all these emotions. But what is important is to recognise and understand why we feel like this and what is making us feel like this. Once we can acknowledge our triggers and thinking patterns, we can begin to have better control over our thoughts, and the ability to decrease negative thinking and develop a positive mindset.
The relationship you have with yourself is integral to your well-being along with all the other important close relationships in your life. Hypnotherapy is a platform for positive change. It can help to bullet proof your thinking and wellbeing so that the distractions fade and you become more focused. It’s highly effective in uplifting the neural pathways that are blocking your outlook. Having quality of thoughts gives us quality of life. We must learn to detach from distraction and negative triggers, cultivate kind and supportive relationships, make friends with ourselves and value own opinions and instincts. It matters.
Practical solutions for turning down the negative noise of the modern-world
● Read The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. Learn to live in the moment and realise being present is transformative to your whole life, not focusing on the past or future, but being entirely in the present – life changing.
● Remember it is not about controlling your thoughts, it is about guiding your thoughts more in the direction you are wanting to go in.
● The Power of visualisation – think of yourself in a calm place, focus on a sense of clarity and space – feels the shackles of anxiety melt away.
● Daily rituals – meditation and breathing as a daily practice