Finding Peace Among Overload
In 2020, I was going through a lot. My mom was diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer, I was in the middle of a painful divorce, and the 24/7 news cycle was showing horrific death and despair due to Covid. On top of that, I was trying to keep the production arm of our company afloat amid lockdown. My knee-jerk reaction was to try and control the uncontrollable, which led me to feel even more out of control. Seems silly, huh.
However, The idea that attempting to manage things beyond our reach with poor results is nothing new. This psychological concept is known as the Paradox of Control or the Law of Reversed Effort. In other words, the more we try to control, the more out of control we feel.
Between our current world news and social media updates, it makes it hard to maintain a sense of peace, and rightly so. In fact, I don’t think any person, seriously, anyone, is wired to process the world’s dirty laundry in a 24/7 news cycle because it’s heartbreaking.
The horrible news on top of constant personal demands makes us feel completely out of control. In 2019, the World Health Organization reported that anxiety disorders afflicted 264 million people globally, and our desire for control is a significant contributor to this anxiety epidemic.
Show of virtual hands… How many of you feel like things are so bonkers that you can’t process? I think we all have moments where we want to turn off all devices and disappear on a deserted island.
Clearly, this is not an option for 99.9% of us who have responsibilities at work and home. Therefore, we need to embrace the art of managing your mindset. Now I’m not suggesting sticking your head in the sand and thinking personal and world conflicts will all go away. Instead, it’s about what you focus on. In fact, right now, it’s your superpower!
As the statistics on anxiety and burnout show, our relentless pursuit of control can backfire, leading to increased stress and unhappiness. Instead, we should think about what we can control – our reactions, our choices, and our mindset.
Prioritize what you can manage, and you'll find peace amid the chaos, free from the burdens of unnecessary anxiety and burnout.
