Think of your brain as a brand new laptop. When you get it brand new it is open to any information you put into it. You protect it with programs to ensure it doesn`t crash. If you only put positive and productive information into it it runs really well for a really long time. If you click on everything that pops up and load it full of negative or questionable information it is in chaos and it doesn`t work well.
The kicker is we don`t get a choice at birth what kind of information goes in. We have all been trained to be negative by society and our families. We have been trained to want drama and stories of crazy things going on in the world. We have been trained to see sexuality as a powerful tool to obtain what we want, see beauty as only thin, well toned people with nice skin and a "perfect" facial structure. We are not born with these impressions, we are taught them. It doesn't end there. Media is one of; if not the greatest source of information that goes into our brains every day. It's all around us, we watch it, we listen to it on the radio, we have apps on our phones to keep us updated.
The media is responding to what we have been trained to seek. It's what keeps people watching, listening, reading. What if the media trained us to seek something else? They could slowly turn it around by adding more and more positive and sharing the positive outcomes of all negative stories. They could share stories of the beauty and success of people, show their inner beauty and health and focus less on outer beauty. Once humans start to take in more positive, they feel more positive and their brains begin to retrain. Our brains enjoy good information much more and gives us a much better feeling that we can become addicted to. I releases chemicals and hormones that makes us feel wonderful, elated.
What if humans had never been trained this way? It has been reality for so long that we just see it as the norm. It doesn't have to be. We can change it. You can change how your brain thinks. You have to choose to change it and work at it. The brain believes whatever we put in. Pay attention to what you tell yourself.
There are some people who choose not to access any form of media simply because they know it brings negative information to their day and they have to work at removing it so why even put it in. I personally enjoy watching the news, listening to the radio. I like to know what is happening in our world and I keep a positive outlook on everything I hear or read. I know that people are shot in Toronto all the time, do I really need to hear about each and every occurrence? What good does it do to share that around the world. None. It only reminds us of the evil that surrounds us when in fact there is so much more LOVE in our world than HATE; but HATE is what we hear most about so we focus most on.
Nelson Mandela had it right. Focus only on LOVE, it is the only way. HATE destroys. It is difficult to not feel hatred sometimes but it is possible if you set your brain to listen, understand and interpret everything in a loving way.
I was reminded this morning that the first Monday back to work after the holidays has been dubbed "Blue Monday"; the day that statistics say is the most depressing day of the year. Someone did a study on the saddest day of the year and the media shares this information widely beginning the week before it happens. Everybody get ready "blue monday" is coming. They also share strategies to make your blue monday better. Interestingly this year I forgot that Blue Monday even existed because I didn`t drive to work listening to the radio, the message to be sad didn`t enter my brain and I spent that day with my kids on a snow day! It was a good day, just like every other day.
My question is "Why do we share this at all?" "Why do we build people up and prepare them to be sad?" The first message we get when we turn on the radio or tv that morning is "this is the most depressing day of the year" so be depressed everyone, you have an excuse. What a way to start the new year.
Has anyone done studies on the happiest days of the year? Why don't we share that. Canada Day, everyone's happy. I bet we could find hundreds of days that could be dubbed the happiest day of the year to celebrate instead of picking one to focus our energies on depression. Maybe we don't need reminders to be happy but we need them to be sad? "Let's Talk" day for mental health is coming up. Would we need that day if we were all trained to be more mindful?
I love our local newspaper; the Great North Arrow; because its a good news newspaper. It shares stories of success, generosity, jokes, upcoming events. Yes it also shares sad news like obituaries and individual struggles but in a positive way that encourages celebration of life and community support for those struggling. Reading the Great North Arrow leaves you with an encouraging, hopeful feeling; exactly the opposite of the evening news that leaves you feeling discouraged about humanity aside from the one local hero story they share.
It is just so backward. I realize that the news is the news and bad things happen. Is it possible to start sharing the positive attached to each of the negatives? Share the loving responses of humanity to each tragedy.
The messages our brains receive is what we focus on the most. At the risk of being incorrect I would estimate that the majority of people take very little time to be mindful of the messages going into the brain. We tend to go with the flow and see mindfulness as work and silliness. We accept the messages we receive and interpret them accordingly. If they are negative we stay negative. Those who do make the effort to be mindful and put all messages into perspective are very lucky to be able to live a positive life; not free of negativity but they give negative messages much less value. Unfortunately this is not the norm and with major influences like the media feeding our brains doesn't it make sense that the media make the attempt to be more mindful.
It's a new job for HSA Canada, we could train the media in person centered practices and mindfulness. I truly believe and am very passionate about the fact that media messages are one of the greatest sources of input into our brains and if we could change the messages we could change how people view the world and their own individuality.
Feed people good information, they devour it and make it multiply. Feed people sad information, they devour it and make it multiply. For some reason our media chooses to make the negatives multiply, seems like a no brainer to me, just change it. We are computers, put the best information possible in for the best results.
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