So I think it’s safe to say that if you have children, or have been around children for any length of time, you know that as an adult, it’s important to monitor their exposure to certain things: TV shows, movies, internet sites, etc. Not only do you want to protect them from physical harm, but you also want to protect them from other “bad” things, many of which can’t be seen. Protecting them from seeing or hearing something that you deem not appropriate for them, for whatever reasons and however you define harm is of the utmost importance. Everyone is different and likely has his or her own ideas of what is okay and what is not.
I was thinking about this the other day because I have done the same thing to myself, for myself. Surely this isn’t unusual, but sometimes as adults I think we might forget we can. We might forget we have that power.
As you likely know I have had a long absence from my blog posts–from December until now. This break felt essential to me because (after November) I was not able to function normally. And even after all this time I can’t say I am great, but I at least don’t break down crying several times a day. I am better, and this, because I have changed my habits and limited my daily exposure to things I know only sadden, cause anger, make me feel hopeless and just generally depress me.
In the beginning I felt guilty for not keeping up with things, for “sticking my head in the sand.” But now, all of these months later, I am accepting this as reality. My new reality. In the same way parents limit a child’s exposure to harmful or dangerous “things,” I too must limit my exposure to things that are guaranteed to have these negative impacts. It doesn’t mean I care any less. It doesn’t mean I won’t fight for what I believe in. It doesn’t mean that I accept the changes I see or that I have given up. It just means I understand myself and put my needs first.
And so, this week’s quote:
What do you think? What ways do you make sure you are healthy and happy?
I think you have hit on something really important in these particular times . In general everything assumes a pendular motion. When things swing too far one way or another, they naturally try to return to the center. Sometimes during the time the pendulum is at its farthest reach, you need to protect yourself so that you can still be able to make a difference and return the radical to the normal. Take care of yourself.
Yes, it it challenging, but necessary, at least for me and for now. Thanks for reading!