#3 Comfort in a stressful world

Sometimes all the noise and images of the world just gets too much, and seeps in to you like a cold on the way. I have started to avoid more and more social media, news and input since and have realised that, like many others, I feel much better without it. Even though you may not be a HSP (highly sensitive person - yes we really do exist) it is sometimes good to go back to basics, and not have instant amusement from a screen. I feel so lucky to not have hade all of this when I was a kid, but that was another time and kids learn to cope with the time that is around them. I seem to have gotten more sensitive in some ways and more calm and steady in others, is this perhaps the wisdom of aging? 
~*~
These things are not any -news- but I make this list for myself as well as anyone who reads this.
Like a 'Note to self  #542+'.

There are some things that I return to when I feel overwhelmed. This is an on-going process for me and have only recently really started to properly focus on it and to break habits really does take work.
One just have to take it in strides and do the best one can at the moment. Without judging or being hard on oneself.


Things I've changed (& working on):

- Avoiding Facebook - I just pop by there to see the 'notification- list' and then leave again. I don't have FB on my phone anymore (actually logged out by mistake and couldn't bother to look up my password, and then thought it was just for the best). I have decided to mainly use FB for business - if even that, I somehow don't quite like that place anymore.

- Never read comments on public posts or Youtube etc ("What fools these mortals be" is the quote that comes to mind)...

- Shortened down my Instagram feed, you can follow someone and decide not to see their posts/moments which is good, just because you're overwhelmed doesn't mean that you don't like them anymore (although sometimes: yes).

- Avoiding news, as on TV and commercial channels, it doesn't mean that I don't care about what is happening in the world just that feeling all the things that I can't do anything about mainly takes my energy away from chnging the things I can change. I can always have a peek online at BBC or SVT (Swedish broadcasting) or listen to the radio to check the news myself.

- Handicraft without any music, movie or series on in the background. Makes it all much more 'here now'. Or when doing something simple like unpicking - listen to a radio play (BBC iplayer is gold) or music that suits my mood. Or sing while working :)
- Taking walks in nature - finding nature even though living in a town. I have started strolling on the small paths through small woods where people walk their dogs just to be closer to nature and hear the wind in the trees and walk on the earth, not asphalt..

- Noticing nature - I am always doing that. My world and focus is always on the birds, animals, trees and plants around me. People are there also of course, but nature gives me energy without taking anything back.

- Reading books.

- Doing nothing for a while, just looking out through a window.

- Spending time with animals.

- Things you loved doing when you were younger / a child - including books, movies, tv-series, crafts etc. To get back to that feeling of wonder and joy over so called 'small' things.
~*~
Slow living and finding calm:

Fairyland cottage
Calm and beautiful little videos and pictures, and great tips on slow sustainable living. 
Youtube link & can also be found on Instagram.

JOMO - the Joy of missing out
(I just googled it to find some interesting link to share, but phew!) 
I'll just share the video where I learned about it first.

Cathy Hay

A life in progress - blog post:
Email Post

Comments

Post a Comment