If you take a look an mainstream media, social media, and just everyday regular conversations between people, it’s glaringly apparent how off base we’ve gotten as a culture and society.
We spend countless hours perusing mindless content and videos, we get sucked into a narrative that everything, and everyone sucks, we feel a deep sense of entitlement, and we display a tremendous amount of arrogance and ignorance, as a result.
We judge, we criticize, we condemn, we ridicule, and we belittle others in the process. Often, from nothing based in truth, let alone compassion, kindness, and grace.
I mean, when did we get to be so cruel. So damning when it comes to how others choose to live their lives … lives, I might add, that have absolutely NOTHING to do with our own.
What do we really get by judging others or tearing them down, other than illuminating our own lack of character and sense of self-righteousness?
All of this energy we spew out as hate, negativity, prudence, and contempt does what exactly? While it can be vile and hurtful, it says more about the person spewing it than the one being unloaded on.
I think about our children and what we are teaching them. Is this the legacy you really want to leave them? Is this the way you want them to grow and believe that they, somehow, gain worth by tearing down others?
So what if someone puts a post on social media that you don’t like?
So what if a celebrity is shown on TV at a football game?
So what if someone has a different point of view?
So what if you don’t like someone or the way they choose to live their life?
So what if no one asked your opinion before … well, anything?
So what?
The Cost of Your Attention
What we focus on expands, right? Have you ever considered that in light of where you are spending the bulk of your energy? When you really look at the insignificance of the things you are obsessing about, or getting triggered by, or finding irritation with … what’s it really costing you?
It’s costing you: your time, your peace, and ultimately your own dreams.
YOU spend so much time and energy worrying, complaining, and making judgements about everyone else and focusing your attention on their lives, do you realize that you do so at the cost of living your own.
So what?
You proclaim that you don’t have time for this or that.
You say it’s not possible to activate your dreams. You bitch that you don’t have enough time. You complain that you can’t have all you want life.
Maybe, just maybe, if you took an ounce of the attention you put onto everybody else’s business and choices in life, and shift that energy back to yourself, you might find you actually have all the time you need.
It really is that simple. When you take care of you, all is taken care of.
As Robin Sharma says: “we are addicted to distraction.” And, that distraction being making other people’s lives our business.
So what?
So what if you don’t like this guy’s brand, or the way she chooses to show up? So what if someone is taking up space? So what if someone is making stupid memes, ridiculous videos, or being an ass on social media?
So what?
Why do you care?
What impact does it have truly on your life?
I’ll answer that for you … NONE!
Then … so what?
Why do you feel the need to engage and insist on participating in it. Why do you get sucked in and lose countless hours and sleep worrying about it. Why not just ignore it and scroll (or move) on?
Because here’s the cold hard truth: the game didn’t suck because they showed a celebrity too much (even if you don’t like her). Your day wasn’t ruined because some made a Tik Tok video or posted a meme. You life was traumatized because a moron commented on your post.
You are choosing to be miserable and to be in this energy. No one can do anything to you without your permission.
These things only were so because of your need to find something to bitch and moan about, to whine and complain about. Because you needed to villainize someone else in order to feel seen or big enough, or whatever else. It’s a function of you not healing your own sense of worth.
The Power of Shifting Your Mindset + Focus
Imagine if, instead, you just minded your own damn business and tended to yourself? And, you also chose to grow up and you start leading yourself?
Such as, you do you, take care of yourself, and stop worrying about everyone else? Ignore the mindlessness of trivial things that don’t actually matter to you, in the grand scheme of things, and just get on with your life.
Shift all that wasted energy into something more productive.
Focus on you.
Focus of creating the life you want. Stop trolling social media or getting sucked into our culture’s amplified and sensationalized narrative.
Ignore the post that makes you cringe. Shift your eyes away for the four seconds they pan onto a celebrity during a game (I mean, really), and don’t engage with the hater or the person who fires off the nasty comment.
Just Stop … Getting Sucked In
Stop finding reasons to be miserable. Stop seeking things to complain about. Stop adding more to the problem rather than being part of the solution. Stop trying to validate that the world is doomed.
It’s not.
Instead, find your people. Seek what lights you up, makes you smile, and brings you joy. Reserve your energy for the things that matter. Choose the things that move you closer to your dreams and the life you want.
And, let go of and forget the rest. Destroy the NOISE getting in your way.
Because in the end, if you don’t, you’re only hurting yourself.