We all know that we “should” be balanced, but why does this balance seem so difficult to find? And when we do feel in balance, why does it seem so hard to hold onto?
Our modern lives are relentlessly bombarded with negative messages from inflammatory media, manipulative marketing, conflicting information on diet and nutrition, and much more. We are constantly being told which fad diet we should be following, how many times a week we should be meditating, which exercise routines are the best, and that we should be able to be the perfect parent, employee, homemaker, partner, and on, and on all at once.
The truth is: fad diets are just that, fads. Meditation is great, but maybe not the solution for everyone. The type and time spent doing physical exercise are based on your individual needs. And there is no such thing as perfect.
A common phrase I heard growing up was, “consider the source”. As a society, we seem to have forgotten that concept. Now, we often consider what we are told by the loudest voices, instead. We forget that news media is not created for our benefit, but for the benefit of the corporations that own those news sources; that specialty diets are often created or promoted by the food or health industries, and so on. The 24-hour news cycle, social media, and marketing that have saturated every aspect of our lives have distracted us from one simple truth – nobody knows what your best life looks like, except you.
Have we all just gotten dumber? No. As someone who previously worked in marketing, I can tell you without a doubt – that idealized images and messaging are created to make you feel insecure and inadequate. They look for that sweet spot of showing a life you want and seems attainable if only you try hard enough while making sure that life will always be just out of your reach.
How can we feel in balance when we are constantly being pulled between conflicting messages about what “the good life” is and how to get there? In my opinion, we must look within. Our ancestors had only themselves and the people directly surrounding them to draw from. In order to find the best path for them, they had to spend the time and energy it took to look inside themselves and pay attention to how things made them feel and affected their lives. I know what you’re thinking – who has time for that in this day and age? Well, it is a choice. We can either take the time or surrender to the external push and pull that is making so many of us unhealthy and unhappy.
Your time is precious, so why are you just giving it away to social media platforms, news headlines that make you angry or depressed, or learning about some fad diet that is unsustainable in the long run anyway? What if you refocused that time on paying attention to how you feel? What gives you joy? What drains you?
We all want to be happy and healthy and to show up as our best selves for our loved ones. In order to do that we must take back the power that is inherently ours. We must refuse to continue to be led by corporations who do not have our best interests in mind. We must put our foot down and say enough is enough. You can do it! You can start today.
The next time you think about clicking on that link to the next fad diet, instead, think about ways you can tweak your current diet to make it just a little more healthy. The next time you reach for your phone to see what people are saying on Twitter, stop and think about the things you are saying to yourself every day. Do they make you feel better about yourself or worse? The next time you look at that inflammatory headline, ask yourself – are my neighbors who hold differing political views from mine really my enemy? Or could they be decent people who just have a different point of view? Am I being sold a skewed perception of them?
We all make our choices, and whatever you choose is up to you. However, please take the time to know whether your choices are really your own or whether you are surrendering them to someone who does not have your best interest and the interest of those you love in mind.