I’m right there with you; information overload is real. It takes genuine skill these days to rise above the daily onslaught.
If you’re struggling, you’re not alone. I have my days too, but for the most part, I’ve learned how to stay afloat — or at least flow like kelp in the sea…..
So, allow me to share my personal take on this modern challenge and talk through that “head ready to burst” sensation we all know too well. In my video above and in the list, below, I share the toolbelt I’ve had to assemble over years of council chambers, activism, and vintage-style public disagreements. Below, you’ll find practical steps ,and in my video I share lively examples for staying flexible when truth, fiction, and confrontation whirl around in a twenty-four-hour cyclone.
So grab your beverage of choice, take a deep breath, and let’s rediscover how to keep a malleable mind… even (especially!) when the world goes haywire.
TAKE THESE STEPS & SET YOURSELF FREE:
Set Clear Boundaries for Information Intake
Carve out specific times to check the news or social media, and treat doomscrolling past midnight like snacking after brushing your teeth, just don’t do it. I generally carve out my social media time after having a quiet morning, giving thanks for all that I have, and before I head out into my day of errands, zoom calls, and administrative work.Practice Mindfulness and Grounding
Meditate, stretch, go for a walk in nature, or write in a gratitude journal. Sometimes the solution to information chaos is as simple as getting your hands in the soil. Check in with your breathing. Notice that when you breathe shallow, your anxiety rises. Take in deep breaths through the nose for a good 5 seconds, then exhale for 10! Notice the difference.Curate Your Information Diet
Choose your news sources with care. Mix in different viewpoints, dodge echo chambers, and give yourself permission to ignore the clickbait. Listen to people you actually disagree with. You may surprisingly learn something new, and, at the very least, you will better understand the “other side.”Engage Actively With Information
Annotate, reflect, and question. Discuss current events with others, especially those who don’t necessarily see eye-to-eye with you. And when accusations start flying, always stop and ask: Where’s the evidence? In today’s landscape, there’s a tidal wave of clickbait and false allegations -- don’t get swept away without proof.Organize and Prioritize Information
Use a notes app or actual pen and paper to capture the essentials. When things pile up, frameworks like the Eisenhower Matrix help you spot what’s urgent vs. what’s just noise. As a side note, physically writing (not typing) ideas, concepts, or your list of things to do, sticks in your brain better!
Sanction Breaks for Yourself
Step away from the screens when overwhelmed; read, garden, nap, or chase butterflies. It’s how you recharge your inner battery. If you feel your anxiety level going up while in front of the screen, that is your cue to back away from it. When this happens to me, I head for my garden.
Seek Out Flexibility and Novelty
Try new things: a language, an instrument, or even just a weird documentary. Neuroplasticity isn’t just fun to say, it’s the key to adaptability. Read or watch videos that counter your beliefe system; nobody knows everything. It’s healthy to seek out opinions that counter yours.Balance the Negative With the Positive
Although it may not always seem like it, there are more beautiful moments unfolding around us, and in the world, than you might believe if you only looked at the news. Be sure to include uplifting, creative, or educational content in your media mix. Emotional resilience needs a little sunshine now and then.Refuse to Lock in Your Opinions
Like a sea kelp, let the tides of new information move you. Stay rooted in your principles, but be willing to sway; over-certainty will only saw off your own branches. I share examples in my video, above, of the myriad of benefits I have experienced by keeping my mind malleable.
By staying intentionally open, engaged, and just flexible enough, we can keep our heads above the whitewater—rooted in reality, but ready to learn.
Let’s jump in.
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