I was thinking about times when I become extremely stimulated by things that take me away from my goals. This leads me down a path where I’m seeking out a lot of information to make connections. Makes me chase rabbits down holes that I know may not lead me anywhere. I become obsessed hoping to the solve the problem that I created; finding answers that are not needed. Losing touch with reality and searching for what does not exist.
Lack of Clarity
When you choose activities that result in over stimulation there’s a feeling that comes over you like you don’t even know what you’re after but you keep going to try and find it. I think this comes from being exposed to so much that it’s not even even about a result anymore. It’s just about the chase. Settling down your mind does seem to interest you but finding more stimulus does. It becomes more acute when even a sensory overload does not stop your pursuit of the idea in your mind. That’s the interesting part I’ve noticed it’s not even something tangible, it’s the idea of something. We live in a society where over stimulation is part of the experience and extremely hard to avoid. A world where people spend billions to consume our minds. They want you to be over stimulated. They want you to be lost.
Triggered Towards Distracts
Triggers, you see there are triggers all around you, designed to be non-threating, just to remind you of what you’re missing. These are little reminders that take you out of the present moment. It’s only when you pay very close attention to your actions that you become aware. Aware that something is not right. Then there’s level 2, where the over stimulation is normalized. This is where people laugh about being a distracted individual, where they share their similarities of being distracted. Recognize and destroy triggers that influence your behavior.
Stress and Anxiety
It’s easy to feel like you’re out of control when you’re over stimulated because you will feel there’s nothing you could do. Nothing that will allow you to move forward. When there’s too much going on, it’s hard to imagine another moment of your current situation. This will cause stress and thoughts about an uncertain future.
Feeling Like You’re Missing Something
The irony is when you’re over stimulated is that you may feel like you’re missing something. Again most likely something that is not even real or possible in near future. You will stay in a heightened state because you believe this state will lead to the pot of gold.
What to Do
Well the first thing I’ve noticed even if you are a highly sensitive individual, you’re in control. It’s either you’re doing it to yourself or you’re exposing yourself to places where someone else has power over you. Sometimes you have to disconnected to reconnect.
For example if you find yourself on social media where new short form information is bombarding you, the first step is to get off it, challenge yourself. You have to cut off the sources of stimulation. If you want to have a life that you’re in more control of, you have to cut of the sources where it’s easy to be stimulated. If you are a recovering alcoholic you should hand out at a yoga studio and not a club. Replace your over stimulating habits with ones that have more depth.
Being aware enough to realize that you over stimulate yourself, is a something that is solved with more focus. You have to apply focus to everything you do. Your training starts immediately, watching a show, focus as hard as you can. It will feel like you’re moving with speed even if you’re not even moving.
We live in a world where it’s your choice if you want to be great. Being great starts with not being overstimulated by the insignificant.
This article is part of my goal to write everyday for an hour and post it everyday. It may not be edited to my standards but the goal is create value and get content out everyday.
