Turn It Off

Photo by Rick Hustead

With so much going on in the world these past few days, it is easy to get sucked into a vortex of national news/political spin/cat videos/etc. when we turn on and tune into social media. From what I have observed on my own Facebook and Twitter feeds, local news reports and daily life, it seems like more and more of us are getting stuck in environmental hypnosis. This constant onslaught of digital information overloads the subconscious mind and impairs our ability to use the reasoning, will-power, decision-making and logic faculties of the conscious mind. The more information we get (or misinformation, as some cases turn out to be), the more we want and, in many cases, the grumpier and more stressed-out we become. If you want to get off that emotional treadmill, I have a suggestion.

Turn it off.

That’s right, turn it off. Put down the Smartphone or tablet, close the laptop, turn off the television or radio and do something else for a little while. Go outside and do some gardening. Take your dog for a walk, go for a run on the beach or find a quiet part of your house or office and take a nap. Work on a hobby you previously set aside and focus 100 percent of your attention on that project for half an hour. Put on some music and dance; exercise, meditate or do yoga. It doesn’t matter what activity you choose so long as it provides a sensory break from the images (sights, sounds and other sensory experiences) that have been overloading you in your digital environment.

To fortify your ability to discern information and make logical, reasoned decisions, eat a meal or have a snack that contains some form of protein. In my blog about the origin of fears and phobias, I explained how Hypnosis Motivation Institute founder John Kappas, Ph.D., observed how fluctuation in blood-sugar level can influence mood, anxiety and suggestibility. Dr. Kappas observed a strong relationship between low blood-sugar levels, fear and development of phobias. If you finding that you are more likely to react or over-react emotionally to something in the current social environment, pay more attention to what you are eating. Maintaining a healthy diet that includes nutritious food and limiting caffeine and alcohol intake can help you remain more objective about what is going on around you.

One of my yoga teachers recently advised as we prepared for meditation at the end of class: “You control your mind. Your mind does not control you.” I know it may not always feel that way, but her words were and are true. To get control over all that extra stimuli that seems to be driving you to distraction, it is as easy as turning off the noise and looking away.

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2017