With the ongoing Ramadan season, my energy levels are usually low these days, as the day proceeds and the summer heat intensifies, it becomes tough to focus and do things that require a lot of intellectual and creative work.

When my focus derailed from work to something which seems like work (disguised work) which is just being online or logged in without any goal or productive outcomes.

Past one such week, saw a huge dip in my real productive work, which was replaced by scrolling through social media, even though I have no notifications on my mobile, my own mindless scroll of social media feed made me very soon addicted to it, few minutes turned into hours and I could not believe when I started giving my own priceless opinions on several posts making unnecessary comments and likes, taking a jibe and mocking along with the crowd, on the ongoing several issues that plague India today!

I was all completely immersed in social media, participating where it was not required, speaking more than listening and feeling entitled to share my expertise wherever the need.

I was finally into the Trap.

I share this with the intent to assist you to understand, how easily we all can fall into it, even without realizing it.

How it happens ?

Our brain captures data from all our senses, including what we expose ourselves repeatedly on any given single day.

• What we see
• What we hear
• What we read
• What we eat
• What kind of people do we keep the company of (friends, colleagues, acquaintances, and social media people we choose to follow & influencers) 

Plays a key role in determining both our mental and physical health, which is often manifested in our dreams, perceptions and on a long-term basis, are the basis of mindset, and beliefs system we religiously follow. 

All of it stems from a single process of constantly being exposed to the external (stimuli) world, captured through the five senses, the information then is processed in the backup area of the brain which is the subconscious part.

The subconscious part of the brain consists of 95% of the workings of the mind, while the remaining 5% is the conscious mind. 

We may not even realize, the ongoing information our subconscious mind constantly is capturing and storing, and how this complex process then conjures and throw up results in form of a decision, negative intrusive thoughts, or baseless fears.

But,

Also make a note, it is the same information, gathered from the five senses, processed that also helps us create, design, or innovate.

It all depends on what we feed our mind every single day.

Let’s understand it in detail.

Here I share the workings of my conscious and subconscious mind, which eventually landed me in a trap of stress.

The Last past week, this is what I fed my mind

What we see – constantly feeding my mind with news on war, terror strikes, abuse, and the several ongoing crises in India (from inflation, political wars, unemployment, at macro level to lack of water supply at the micro level)

What we hear – listening to hate speeches and blatant lies on the news and social media, trolls, post filled with hatred against one particular community 

What we read – Reading comments, articles, posts, and tweets about the rising atrocities and the failing leadership and failed nations, India on a cusp of it. 

What we eat – Barely eating due to the ongoing fast and intense heat.

What kind of people do we keep the company of -online community, social media trolls, fighting people back, arguing, blocking, venting, mocking along with the crowd.

As a result, —> ended up feeling guilty (since this behavior did not align with my values) I was filled with remorse, extremely agitated, and in a bad mood.

How I found my way out of it ?

When I changed what I feed my mind, it took some time, but through strict discipline and conscious efforts, I was finally back to my authentic self, which believes in peace, harmony, compassion, and kindness, to serve others and assist as many as I could with my expertise.

  Pro Tip:  If you find yourselves a bit stressed out, or falling into a stress trap, write against each of the above 5 points , what are your feeding your mind with and you will be very easily, be able to find what’s the real root cause of your stress.

When you know the reason, it becomes far easier to find a way out of it.

(c) Mehnaz Amjad – 2017 -2023

About the Author ; Mehnaz Amjad, is a Life Coach and a Cognitive Behavior Therapist,

I’m on a mission to empower people with strategies and tools, they need to cope with difficult times & navigate through challenging circumstances.

If you are in search of help to find a way out of your crisis, click to connect.