Ever wonder why we seem more stressed out than previous generations? Is it actually so or merely a perception?
I believe it is real. And a great deal of it can be blamed on the 24hr news cycle, tv, internet, twitter, cell phones, Ipads, computers etc.
The entire information revolution has inundated us with news on a continuous basis. And much of it is negative!!
Wars, terrorism, murder trials, atrocities, economic disaster, tsunamis, tornadoes--pain and suffering are constantly inundating our minds, our consciousness.
The dark side is what makes news! And we are continuously being bathed in it.
How can we possible feel good when we perceive a world which is constantly on the verge of self-destruction?
Well, the world may not actually be any worse now than at any other time in human history. But now technology so good at providing it to us on a continuous basis.
And in truth the numerous moments when loved is shared, genosity shown, kindness and charity offered are never considered newsworthy.
In the "old days" people would receive their info from a daily newspaper or evening news. In between they could deal with their own personal problems and leave the world behind.
Now we have to juggle the personal with the world at large. It is overwhelming and ultimately destructive to our mental as well as physical health.
I'm not advocating a total ban on world news. That would be foolish. We are all entitled to keep up with what is happening on our planet. But we need to back off from our obsessive preoccupation with the suffering that surrounds us.
The negative energy beats us down and frankly there is little we can do as individuals to help. This is not to disuade well-meaning individuals from supporting organizations which strive to combat world suffering. Noble causes clearly need our personal and financial support.
I'm referring to the continuous deluge of sadness, grief and violence, distilled from the four corners of the globe and funnelled into our consciousness.
So let's give ourselves a break. Turn off the information highway for a while. Give it all a rest.
Go outside, sit and meditate, engage in physical activities, make love, watch a movie......anything to break the pattern of being constantly and continuously hooked into the world stage of negative events.
The serenity this will bring will go a long way towards personal healing.
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