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If you watch the mainstream media regularly, you might think that the world is on the verge to collapse. The third world war is about to take place, inflation is skyrocketing, and social unrest is high in most of the world.
Most decent people believe that inherently their governments are good. This is especially true in places like Europe, where you get raised with a strong influence to obey your superiors and trust the authorities. Europeans from the West brag about having an independent strong middle class, with low inequality in terms of income. But behind the scenes, the real manipulation happens already during childhood time. Fascist states like Germany for example could put parents in jail if they do not send their children to public schools. You get finger-pointed if your kid is crying in a public restaurant, because, how dare he?
There are very few awakened people in the world. People who can see beyond what is presented to them on fake screens. People that like to think for themselves, to question and challenge the status quo. But those people pay a high price for being authentic.
Societies today are very much hypocritical about almost any topic. Let’s pick one. These last few days, we have seen with quite some shock the huge manifestations in Iran of women against their religious rules (for example, wearing a hijab or showing more of their bodies publicly). From one day to the next, thousands of women organized to protest country-wide about their rights not to wear it and not to follow their religious beliefs in general.
Meanwhile, in Europe, there are hundreds of ads in different central spots in major European cities like Paris, Rome, Stockholm, etc. where the European Union openly supports the use of the hijab and even considers it as part of diversity and inclusion. This is a clear message: In Iran, you damage your culture the most if you go against religious beliefs and practices. In Europe, you damage your national heritage the most when you let all kinds of people come and impose their religious views and ways of living. It is clear that those manifestations are paid for and organized to reach social unrest.
Now you might ask, how would knowing this give me any peace?
I totally feel you. To stay calm and maintain a peaceful state of mind despite the many atrocities happening in the world today, is not an easy task. This might be one of those pieces of history in our civilization where we have been so distressed that it qualifies as a turning point in our times.
But even if it seems impossible, even if you might feel anxious and depressed about the future, there are ways to keep your peaceful state of mind. I can share with you a couple of tricks to gain back your peaceful mental state that has helped me and I hope they can help you too:
· Turn off the TV and social media channels for a while
If you are one of those who as soon as they wake up are already with your fingertips reaching that news app on your iPhone or going first thing in the morning to turn on the morning news channel, then my friend, you have to give up that habit.
If you do this for two days in a row, you will realize that most of the negativity about the state of the world is coming precisely from the news channels. We believe that watching the news keeps us informed about the world, but this is naïve thinking. Major media news are being paid to bring specific storylines which benefit the ones that pay for them to get streamed.
Look at who sponsors your favourite TV channels and social media apps and I tell you who is dictating to you what you should believe as the truth.
· Make exercise outdoors regularly
Doing sports outdoors is an antidepressant by excellence. Even if you just go for a 20 minute walk a day already puts you in a calmer mental state and makes you feel much better than laying around on the sofa or sitting at your desk.
· Eat a high- good quality fat diet. Reduce carbs
We have the wrong conception of high-fat diets. For many decades, doctors, nutritionists and society, in general, have demonized the consumption of foods with high cholesterol profiles like eggs, cheese, meat, olive oils and nuts. The food industry profits more making you believe that a diet mainly based on cereals is more nutritious and gives you more energy.
But this is entirely wrong. It has been proven by many doctors around the world, one of the most prominent being Dr. David Perlmutter, that one of the leading causes of neurodegenerative diseases, obesity and anxiety are mainly dietary. That means, what we are eating has much more impact on our health and our brain than we think. He found out after extensive research that numerous neurological afflictions are related to too much consumption of carbs and too few healthy fats. Fat has always been a fundamental pillar of our diets even from ancestral times. Try it out: Restrain your cereals and sugar consumption and increase your consumption of eggs, meat, fish, nuts, coconut and olive oil. You will gain more energy, feel better, sleep better and get a sharper memory. If you want to know more about this topic, I recommend you to get Dr. Perlmutter’s book Grain Brain.
· Keep focused on your own goals
In a world filled with terror, wars, crisis and instability, it is difficult not to feel depressed and frustrated about it. We feel incompetent and so small, and unable to solve the imminent third world war, the pandemics, the gas crisis and climate change, and whatever else new crisis gets announced on the TV.
It is true, we cannot change what the media, politicians and big industries want to impose on us. But we can do something about our own lives. We have the power of choice and free will. You can choose to ignore the media. You can choose to focus on your goals, despite the negative outlooks. You can choose to do everything you can to keep this world as a still livable place to be as we can. A place you would feel proud to leave to your children.
By ignoring the media and making your own conscious choices, you will realize that the world is not as bad as you think. You can still achieve your goals, realize your dreams and meet great people. We do not have to be politicized and divided. We can also act as a united community, striving to make our best, to the best of our capabilities, in this beautiful world.
The bigger spheres of “Power” might be led by lunatics and psychopaths, but we could take away that power from them: By ignoring them, and by developing our own thinking. Be the architect of your life and do not let them do that for you.
Believe me, once you take full ownership of your thoughts and actions, you will gain peace of mind as you had never before.