Last week I was driving and listening to NPR. Since I don’t have a t.v., I take advantage of my drive time to listen to the news on the radio. On this day in particular, I became acutely aware of how much time is spent in the news on the negative aspects of our countries economic state and that I’d become addicted to hearing about it. At that moment I realized that I’m over it and that I need to make choices that keep me in an emotionally empowered state! I’m tired of all of the focus on doom and gloom. I’m sick of all the reports about how the economy is affecting peoples emotional health. Of course it is! But it sure doesn’t seem to help to listen to more stories about the failing stock market and bailout plans. So I’ve decided to go on a media fast, and I’m officially inviting anyone else who wishes to join me.
What is a media fast? Simply put, it’s eliminating all media: news, radio and newpaper from your daily routine. Think of it as a diet for your emotional well-being. You’re getting rid of as much emotionally toxic information from your life as possible for a period of time in order to regain emotional balance, clarity and peace of mind.
Why go on a media fast? As I mentioned in the beginning of this post, the news is just as emotionally addictive to our minds as watching The Biggest Loser, Desperate Housewives, The Office or whatever your favorite show of choice is. The difference is that more often than not, the news spends a majority of the time focusing on problems and what’s going wrong in our world. When we buy into the bad news, it affects us emotionally. When emotions such as fear, anxiety, and stress get linked to thoughts like “This is the worst recession since the Great Depression, and I’m losing all my money”, it creates neural networks in the brain which become programed beliefs.
By eliminating media from our emotional diet so to speak, we open ourselves to the opportunity to see our lives from a different perspective. Anytime I’m working with a client who is in a pattern of focusing on what’s not right in their life or believes that it’s impossible to change a situation I ask them “What if the opposite where true?”. Just by asking that question, I break the doom and gloom spell.
So if you’re ready to reset your perspective and regain emotional clarity and balance here’s how to begin your media fast:
1. Eliminate All Media. I suggest a 40-day fast, as this number is connected with ancient spiritual teachings and is believed to be both the number of testing oneself and the number which signifies revival and renewal. Of course, any time period will do but to get the full benefit of this fast, try committing to at least 21-days of not watching the news, listening to news radio or reading the newspaper. If you really want to test yourself, eliminate all t.v. (believe me, it’s worth it!).
2. Eliminate Discussion About Economy and Finances. During your fast, also commit to avoiding conversation about the economy or your personal finances with others. It may be hard, and you may even catch yourself slipping here and there, especially during casual conversation. The key here is to create awareness around what you’re choosing to focus your thoughts on.
A media fast is a powerful practice. In part 2 of this blog I’ll talk specifically about how to work with thoughts and beliefs that may come up for you during your fast.
Lisa is available for private coaching as well as presentations, classes and workshops. For more information, visit www.innerstatecoaching.com or email lisa@innerstatecoaching.com .
