We live in a world full of external stimuli. Whether it’s TV news, newspaper headlines, gossip magazines, intense movies, or reality show dramas, the media is a big source of overload for people who feel too much. On an ever so subtle level, all of this outside stimuli seeps through our porous boundaries, leaving us overwhelmed and confused.
As people who feel too much, all of the stuff that we see, read, and hear becomes real. So, we automatically want to fix everything. If we could, we’d develop superpowers to fix disasters we see on the news and find the missing child they’re talking about on the radio. The problem is we don’t have superpowers. While we know that rationally, our subconscious thinks otherwise and we become obsessed with fixing what we can’t. Yikes!
For example, I personally became extremely lost and overwhelmed last summer after the big oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. As soon as it happened, I became very focused on watching the news and reading all the articles about the spill and poor wildlife in the area. Staying informed was a way for me to feel in control of the situation. Yet, I was so focused on caring that I forgot to set boundaries and actually became quite depressed. I’m not talking about just feeling depressed while watching the news, rather my whole outlook on life hit a low. Since I wasn’t paying attention to what was going on, I started eating loads of ice cream to ground myself. Thank goodness, my husband eventually banned the TV!
Of course, this is an extreme example. The impact of the media on people who feel too much is often much more subtle. You might just feel down or anxious after watching the news. It could be that a scary movie leaves you on edge or a sad story has you crying for an hour. Or, maybe your habit of checking your friends’ Facebook status updates every few hours has started to cause you to pick up on their emotions and not be present in your own life. It could also be that browsing the gossip magazines has left you thinking you’re not skinny or beautiful enough. Ultimately, because we have naturally porous boundaries, all of these little things add up and cause overload.
You can have compassion about what is going on in the news and around you without subjecting yourself to the media bombardment. I know this is sometimes hard for a clairsentient to completely accept, but setting boundaries around the media stimuli doesn’t mean you don’t care about what’s going on. It’s just an act of compassion for yourself. And, by having the compassion to protect your energy, you’ll actually be able to be of more service to the world.
It’s time to clear out all that extra stimuli and get connected with YOU!
Exercise:
Clear It Out!
If you’re currently feeling the full impact of the media, it’s important to clear it out of your subconscious. Start by talking or journaling about all the outside “stuff” that’s affected you. Then, write a letter to the Universe, acknowledging that you want to fix these problems but can’t, so you’re releasing it to the Divine. Finally, do something to take your mind off everything. Creative projects are ideal, but you also might just do some spring cleaning. Anything to allow you to be in the moment!
Go on a Media Diet!
Set boundaries around your media consumption for the next week. This might sound like a challenge if you have a ritual of watching the news while eating breakfast, but you’ll truly feel so much more grounded if you just take a week to clear yourself of all the outside stimuli. Make a list of all the media you tend to come across and commit to zapping it out of your life for a week. Come up with new rituals to take the place of watching TV, etc.
