Stimuli Overload Prevents Mindful Living
When I first read this statistic a few months back, it stopped me cold in my tracks. This is the barrier to mindful living!
It was one of those watershed moments where a lot of thoughts I had in my head, feelings I had in my heart all came screeching to a halt right in front of me. THIS MADE SENSE. All the swirl I was experiencing in my head was REAL - not just my inability to focus. The emotions I was feeling were a direct result of reacting to all the stimuli that was in front of me. And it directly impacted my actions.
It was so obvious - my phone is usually in my hand or nearby. I’m sitting in front of a computer screen 8+ hours a day with alerts popping up constantly. 24-hour news, filled with opinions and triggering commentary is “always on.” - the stimuli are relentless and omnipresent!
The question is: How do you stop giving the stimuli your attention? In my mind it comes down to three things:
Being aware that stimuli are all around - CHECK!
Identifying which stimuli you will engage with and WHEN you will engage during the day - and when you DO engage, removing emotion by focusing on the facts versus getting caught up in the story.
Determining what action will you take (or in-action) to help you acknowledge and dismiss that stimuli.
We all have the freedom of choice to create space in our life that’s free from stimuli - even if for brief moments throughout the day. The more we can practice presence and focus, the less we’re attracted to all the stimuli and the more peacefully and joyfully we’re able to live each day.
