Hello hello and Happy New Year.
Hope everyone is okay, different challenges for us all with continuing life in the presence of Covid-19 and I reach out to you all.
January’s newsletter is all about being mindful of the choices we make regarding what we read, who or what we listen to, what we watch and who and what we follow on social media. I say this because we have access to media 24/7 on a wide variety of platforms and we are able to access information whenever we want to. It can become quite addictive can’t it? I am using these platforms myself, right now, to communicate with you, my coaching clients, so I am learning how to be mindful about how much of my time this occupies as somebody who chooses to be self-employed! So far so good, I limit my time on SM at the weekends, during holidays, in the presence of loved ones (i.e., just my husband right now!) and I try not to tune into my phone or laptop after 8 pm. That works for me. It’s a conscious choice I make. I burned out in my early forties and that’s definitely not a place I wish to return to. The digital detox has also enhanced the quality of my sleep, particularly now I am blessed with menopause!
When I talked about gratitude last time, I discussed how malleable the brain can be, the scientific term being ‘neuroplasticity’. Think about a song, the music, the lyrics and how powerfully this can affect the brain’s chemistry and emotional state (elated, joyous, nostalgic, angry, or sad). Powerful stuff! This then affects our feelings and in turn our thoughts, ultimately our behaviours, habits (good and bad) and choices. The choices we make dictate how well we live. We are in fact the product of our daily habits. You see where I am going….
We are bombarded with things to read, watch, and listen to at an overwhelming rate and pace. 24/7! The scourge of the times in which we live …What we digest is our fuel, our diet, and in the interests of peace of mind, balance, and harmony we would surely wish to mindfully choose our diet.
In order to protect our mental health and ourselves from physical illness, safeguarding our brains from negative discourse is essential for living our best life.
Here are 7 ways that we can make healthier choices about our ‘digital diet’:
*Curate who and what we follow on Social Media. There is of course some wonderful stuff out there too!
* Set a limit on how much time we spend absorbing the news (even if current affairs are a keen interest or passion).
* Turn off notifications on our phones, tablets, and laptops. Place our phones in a different location, maybe even in a different room.
* Be mindful of who and what we listen to and whom we choose to surround ourselves with. (The latter could be a whole other newsletter!)
* Exercise the brain through ongoing learning and self-development.
* Take regular exercise in fresh air (sans telephone except for the odd, beautiful photo of course)
* Keep the daily gratitude going!
If you are already doing some of these that’s great, it’s easy to slip back into old habits, so worth refreshing these points every now and again. Does anybody here meditate? I don’t, but some guided meditations are built into some of the yoga practices I do. Our hobbies and creative tasks outside of digital devices can also be a great source of positive distraction. If you feel that you are spending too much time negatively engaged on these devices or looking at news reels, ask yourself this: “What can I do right now instead?”
(Leave a book you keep meaning to read where you normally put your TV remote control or put your crafting kit in an easily accessible place to remind you.)
Having said all of this, don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean that we should all go around wearing rose tinted spectacles, that is the other extreme. We all know that the World is full of good and bad and being realistic (but resourceful) is a fundamental principle in coaching too. This is about safeguarding ourselves and being mindful in an era where the smart phone too easily dominates.
Like what you read? Would you like to discuss any of the points here? Do get in touch (mindfully) on social media (lol) and please do let me know if you think any of your friends would like to receive more stuff to read (lol again)
No, seriously, it is about curating what and who we want to be surrounded with!
Coaching is brilliant for overhauling our behaviours, gaining clarity and overcoming self-sabotage, something that we can all succumb to.
I hope some of this resonates and love to you all. X
Stay safe. Stay well dear readers.
