When the World is On Fire

The world seems to be on fire these days.

Stress and anxiety can wear your brain down, but you can fight back. 

Marcus Aurelius emphasizes control over perception, "You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength." Stated differently, stress arises from internal judgments, not external events.

It's easy these dayZ to get caught up in the infinite social media scroll, to jump from app to app, to get stuck in the 24/7 news cycle of bad stuff going on. The result can be a mind that keeps jumping from thought to thought. This can lead to unbalanced health and well-being in every sense. It can also damage your ability to focus, pay attention, and enjoy life. And, over time this can lead to memory problems.

If this sounds like you, you are not alone.

The good news? This is reversible. And it starts with focus. To a good extent we become what we pay attention to. William James reinforces this with, "The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another." It's not easy, but by shifting focus, we regain agency.

Here's a simple thing that I did to help me get back on track:

I got 5 cards and placed them on my computer, my steering wheel, bathroom mirror, studio door, and fridge. The cards ask 3 questions: 

• What am I paying attention to?
• What should I be paying attention to?
• What shouldn't I be paying attention to?

Our pattern of giving attention can be hard to notice, and this simple strategy has been the nudge I needed to pay attention to my attention and make changes. It might help you do the same. 

Remember, anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its problems. It empties today of its strength. Worry drains present energy without solving future problems.

Smile, breath, laugh. 

Thanks for reading. You are a genius!

This article was first published in Terry Small's Brain Bulletin newsletter.

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