With so many things going on in the world, it becomes easy for us to get dragged into the emotional white noise and hype of other people’s anxieties and fears. There are so many political, philosophical, spiritual, and individual perspectives to potentially consider that our brains tend to gravitate towards the perspectives that resonate the most with us or are the loudest. This often leads us down the hype train where we join in on the chaos without critically analyzing the information.
Adding Perspective
When it comes to taking in new information, it is important to consider a few things: the source, the agenda, who the audience is, and who benefits the most. Is the information helpful to us in the long run (even if it’s potentially painful in the short term)? Does the source have our best interests (even while serving their own interests)? And what is the point behind relaying the information (To inform? Build trust, rapport, connection? Cause drama or controversy? Get revenge or a leg up? To Fulfill self-serving interests?)
It is important to understand the meaning behind any information that causes us anxiety, because the point of hysteria is to cause chaos and confusion among people to prevent critical analysis. However, anytime we lose ourselves to the world, we forfeit our capacity to draw meaningful conclusions that may be in our best interest.
Thoughts for the Week
the next time an unsettling news report comes in or there’s an article about the newest fitness trend, take a step back, and consider checking out sources from other perspectives to better understand the nuances about the particular topic before accepting it as fact. In this way, you get to control how information is tailored to you and how to live on your own terms.