You are what you read
Ivy Griffin
Since the start of the New Year, I’ve been noticing a lot of ads for exercise equipment and diets promising to help you shed those holiday pounds. This is a prime selling time for these types of goods and services as we may have overindulged over the holidays. I’m not a fan of exercise and diet fads as they tend to play off of people’s insecurities and sometimes perpetuate unhealthy and unrealistic ideals. This is why I am more apt to recommend a media diet which may help you to achieve a different type of health and wellness.
When we think of our diets, we mostly think of what we eat and drink; rarely do we think of what we read and listen to but these are types of food as well. We are almost constantly consuming information in the form of news, pictures, shows, memes, music and movies. This type of food is digested when we question and analyze information in our minds and hopefully, we find a healthy way to process it. But sometimes, we become passive consumers of this constant stream of information and don’t do a lot of digesting. We may not even realize how the stories, images, and sounds we are exposed to every day are impacting us until we are tired, frustrated, and anxious and don’t know why.
So how do I go on a media diet?
Well, it starts with just noticing—noticing what you’re consuming, how often, and how it’s impacting you. You can try keeping a journal of your media consumption or just pause during the day to notice how you feel after say, reading the news or going on social media.
Once you’ve identified an area where you’d like to make a change, start small. Perhaps you gradually unplug 15 minutes earlier each night. Perhaps you eliminate things from your newsfeed or unsubscribe from emails that you’ve noticed are stress-inducing, perpetuate unhealthy stereotypes, or just aren’t helpful.
Then there’s the “exercise” portion. By “exercise” I mean how you’re utilizing what you consume. Food is fuel for the body and we decide how it is used. Same goes for information—how are you going to use it? Perhaps you hear a news story that inspires you to take action somehow. Or maybe you see a painting or a sunset that makes you want to create your own art. Perhaps you hear a song that moves you to dance or sing. Or you come across a story or idea that sparks a lively conversation with a friend.
Being more thoughtful about what we take in is a way that we can care for and value ourselves. We can consciously choose to feed our minds and spirits with information, stories, music, and images that nourish us. We can also choose to process things in healthy ways that help us to integrate the things we wish to keep and let go of the things we no longer need.
Take good care,
916-269-6200
ileana@thrivetherapyandcounseling.com