They say humans can survive and adapt to any environment, that we are the most resilient species on earth. Certainly this has been proven true when you look at the history of humanity. That said, do we want to just survive? What about living? Or even living well.
We are all so blessed in Australia and because of this exceptional life we lead, we have been better able to cope with the stress and hardship imposed upon us over the past few years. The economy, the pandemic, the flood and the fear of world war III. It seems like every time you think it can’t get any worse, something else happens.
This constant stress and the ever-increasing pressure put on us is manifesting in strange ways. I talked about stress in the last newsletter and its impact on our immune system, but it seems there is more things to stress about every month.
In engineering terms Stress is the measure of what a given material feels from externally applied forces. With humans this would be the imposed hardships I mentioned earlier.
Examples of engineering stress are ongoing, every day and everywhere around you.
Humans were not designed to these parameters. We are much more fragile. We are not made from concrete. On-going every day wear and tear are not conditions we can adapt to as humans. There must be periods of rest, realignment and recovery for humans to thrive.
At this period in history the amount of stimulus human beings are exposed to is far more than our functioning homeostasis can cope with. You could even say that human evolution has not developed systems to cope with the bombardment on our nervous system we experience daily. Largely due to our engagement with electronic media.
Legal battles around the globe are in full flight regarding the tech giants exploiting a “vulnerability in human psychology”. For example whenever someone likes or comments on a post or photograph the user gets a small dopamine hit
Apparently we are all being trained like little accordion monkeys and when we can’t get this artificial stimulation we get stressed.
In the past we had ways to avoid stress. My husband didn’t read the newspapers or watch network news for more than 25 years. Ignoring things used to be an individual choice. But now we ignore information at our peril.
We need electronic media to find out if you can cross the border in a lockdown or if you need to get an address to a business in your own community. You need to engage with media devices to access this information. There are no more phone books or printed industry publications to refer to, or at least there are very few.
The global reach of these devices promotes the consumption of information often not relevant to our communities. The idea that you can no longer ignore things outside of your community is troubling.
As a consequence people are more fearful, more confused, more stressed and more sick. Digestive problems are out of control for many people and with the digestive system being closely intertwined with our immune system, the spiral continues.
To break this cycle of madness we need to get back to our roots, our homes, our hearts. Looking inward, finding calm, reassessing what is really important to us.
Clarity is key, now more than ever. Stop listening to the bad news, the fake news and all the news that is not in alignment with our inner wellbeing. Try to focus more on family and community.
Try to notice when you are being stimulated, manipulated or drugged with dopamine and try to reduce electronic media.
It doesn’t make sense to feel bad about conditions and events around the world when our own back yard is a mess. This idea and discussion doesn’t advocate for or dismiss the suffering of others. That’s nonsense. More to the point, it is only when we strengthen ourselves that we can strengthen the rest of the world. Like in the airplane – put your own mask on first – then help others.
For now we need to think and act locally, at least for a while. This will give us back what we crave and receive from these giant tech companies. Instead of a like on FB or Instagram we can get a thank you in person from within our community. I donated hundreds to the flood victim in March, donations going directly to my own community.
We need to USE OUR WORDS. Speak up. Call someone on the phone like we used to instead of texting. Statistics show that 86% of text communication is misunderstood by the receiving party.
We not only have to strengthen our bodies, but also our minds and emotions. We have to strengthen our interpersonal communication skills. We have to use critical thinking to figure out what is most important. Don’t leave things unsaid, as doing that often causes more confusion.
When we are clearer about our intentions and hopes our support grows, we grow as individuals and our community grows as a result.
The best way to clear your mind is to strengthen your digestive system, clear out the toxins and get rid of brain fog which is only adding to your stress.
There is a lot we can do to be the best version of ourselves and control our physical wellbeing. Nobody said it is easy – but with a good plan and persistence you can achieve a lot.
So our advice this month is to enjoy today. Don’t ignore the future but find time every day, to enjoy the day. If you have nothing to celebrate make something up. Anything! “Shoelace day celebration.” Who cares as long as you find a reason to enjoy your day. Invite someone to join you. And don’t forget to laugh – life is short – enjoy it where you can.
There is a massive amount of good quality free information in our Library, have a look and see if any of it is for you. And try some of our yummy gluten free recipes.
Wishing you all the best Ela
