Everything doesn’t have to be shiny, new, and amazing, no.
On the other hand, not everything has to be the “worst”, a deal-breaker, or truly ruin your day.
Seth Godin recently wrote about how the Airbrush effect has escaped the pages of beauty magazines and trickled into our everyday life.
I recommend you read the short blog post HERE.
Things aren’t that bad.
Yes, people are still airbrushed and gosh darn it, they look better than all of us!
So what?
Do you have a strong fear that natural disasters, terrorism, race-fueled hate, and the latest disease are waiting at your doorstep?
Turn off the TV.
Close Facebook for a few hours.
Cancel your subscription to most magazines and newspapers.
There’s a big world out there, yes. You should experience it…by going out and experiencing it.
All the news feeds and media that pump “the world” into your home, your pocket, and your brain are putting you on overload. They’re selling fear, and probably something else for $49.99 that you can’t live without.
It’s a sad state we’re in, but fear and negativity are much greater triggers in the brain than positive.
Sensational headlines suck you in so you stay tuned and allow whatever channel/company to program your brain for you. They’ll welcome you with open arms and a bunch of click-worthy videos and articles. Stick around just long enough to have “no time for exercise” (I couldn’t resist), get yourself all worked up over events that do not impact you, and then get up tomorrow to do it all over again.
Talk about unneeded stress.
Waste of time seems almost too cliché.
Don’t forget that Marketing is everywhere, vying for your attention and your money.
We’re all gifted the same twenty-four hours each day (Yes, even more cliché). Your use of that time is what will shape your life – for better or worse. Getting sucked into the mainstream media – regardless of what medium you use to access it – will most likely leave you left with nothing more than mediocrity. A job (maybe) that you complain about. Little to no savings because we all have to have everything we want when we want it (which is now). And plenty to get worked up over and rant about on social media (because everyone wants to know how you feel about it lol).
Let’s just STOP (Hammer Time!).
I’ll be the first. I’m totally ranting right now.
A solution?
Unplug. Then decide how you’ll use the next twenty-four hours for good.
Your own good, and the good of others.
That will make a far greater impact than any Facebook status update.
I write to share my thoughts on lifting and life. Perhaps as a bit of a release, but hopefully to inspire as well.
If you’re reading this, you have modern technology with access to the internet (how amazing is the internet?! Think about explaining the internet to someone in the 1950’s…). Chances are also good that you’ve had some food today, plenty of water (you’re drinking water, right?), and woke up in a bed this morning in a climate controlled home.
Not too shabby.
Maybe not worthy of an international magazine cover.
But there’s always Photoshop!
Live. Love. Lift.
Sim
P.S. Darren Hardy speaks often of being intentional with what we feed our minds. Here’s some additional material.