Noise Control

FD Thornton

For some stupid reason I allowed myself to fall asleep with a political podcast playing in my ear. Since January 19 I’ve been avoiding political news whenever it comes on my TV. Taking my news in very small doses so it doesn’t play with my head. And so far, it’s been good for my wellbeing. Falling asleep with that podcast in my head led to disturbing dreams of anarchy and self-destruction going on across the country. But I don’t mean to make this political. But what I do want to point out is how the powers-that-be are always grabbing for our attention.

Fear is an amazing motivator that can easily have you believe a lie just to accomplish its agenda. Even I in my so-called “enlightened state” can get carried down rabbit holes of conspiracy theories and lies. The internet is a wonderful tool when searching for quick information. But with its monetary incentives focused on clicks, it is often nothing but an adrenaline rush for the senses. I do my best to balance my life with the work/play concept. Where I walk a path of working on my craft, along with taking moments to meditate and clear my head.

 Yet there are still moments when I let myself get overwhelmed by the troubles that surround me. Even now once I’ve finished with this piece, my plan is to take a little walk in my local state park to clear my head. I understand that life can be overwhelming. I used to plan big trips just to clear my head. But the anticipation and planning often made those trips no more enjoyable than just staying at home. My suggestion is to keep things simple. Grab a few moments every few days and just to turn things off. Be wise with your time and what you devote to it. Our technology may have evolved but that doesn’t mean our cognitive needs have changed.