Guys, these may be troubling & scary times for many of us. The world might be about to burn but I suggest we all take a leaf out of John Mullane’s book & call his 2008 All Ireland Final display to mind. Just look after your own patch & no more about it - we can’t control what we can’t control.
It might also be an opportune time to introduce a media &/or social media diet. You may have heard of the concept already, but constantly consuming news that’s upsetting to you can’t be good for the head, or the soul. I’m not saying you should stick your fingers in your ears & completely avoid it (aka the @dodgy_keeper re Manchester United) but it might be worth limiting/restricting the time you spend reading about this fragile world.
A few practical tips to implement it:
- Don’t sleep with your phone by your bed
- Move social media and/or news apps off your main screen
- Set a timer for consuming news/social media daily & don’t exceed it. This doesn’t include TFK & you should increase your engagement levels here.
- Make a list of your favourite sites (e.g., aforementioned TFK) & restrict your browsing to them - be strict about this.
- Similarly, only follow reliable & genuine accounts/individuals ONLINE (e.g., @glenshane on TFK) & avoid those who deal in the currency of grift, conspiracy, hate, toxicity & division.
Also consider taking up new hobbies, particularly those that have health benefits & provide you with opportunities to meet nice people. Volunteering is a great option here. Get some fresh air & steward at Parkrun or make some brownies for a charity cake sale. The opportunities are endless.
We shall overcome. In fact, to misquote The Beatles:
We can woke it out.