The world we live in
Technology, the internet, and social media have revolutionized the world, and there is no turning back.
As a 40-year-old who grew up with no social media and no smartphones, I still have a dusty box full of handwritten letters. I have seen the ways technology changed how we live, learn, and love.
Everywhere I turn I hear things like:
Dating apps are a no man’s land.
People are addicted to their phones, and it destroys relationships.
What’s wrong with people sending unsolicited images?
Cyberbullying and petty arguments, racists, sexists, and political and controversial conversations get really ugly.
Online scams are rampant.
Don’t get me started on fake profiles, catfish, and ghosting.
Social media is full of people showing off unrealistic lives and is linked to anxiety and depression.
Social media is toxic to your mental health.
Online shopping is out of control, and non-sustainable, and people are in debt.
We are being bombarded with ads. I can’t even use the calculator on my phone without seeing an ad.
Ops! I wanted to write a few examples, but there are so many that the list kept writing itself.
Anyway, you get the point.
I must admit I did fall prey to some of these pitfalls. Who hasn’t?
Then, the other day, I had the pleasure of blocking, unfriending, unfollowing, and deleting someone’s number. Yes, all the same dude.
Let me tell ya, the feeling is pure bliss.
And it reminded me of this story.
A lesson to help you control your thoughts and your world
Once upon a time, a man was distraught by his thoughts.
Negative and ugly thoughts roamed his mind, it gave him no peace.
Troubled, the man went to consult a sage.
How can I control my thoughts?
The sage replied,
I know the right person to teach you this lesson. Go to him and ask him that exact question.
The man set out to find this man who would finally help him relieve his anguish. The journey was long and cold, but the man was determined to find peace in his soul.
Lastly, he reached the man’s house, a modest dwelling on the outskirts of the village.
His feet ached, and his body shivered, but he gathered his strength and knocked on the door.
No answer.
He waited, knocked again, no answer.
The battered man waited all day, knocked and knocked, but nothing.
Nobody came to the door. He saw no man. His angst rang louder in his mind.
Devastated, he made the journey back to the sage.
I don’t understand. You told me this man would teach me how to control my thoughts? But he didn’t even open his door.
The sage smiled knowingly,
My son. This is your lesson. When you don’t want someone in your house, you don’t open the door.
Your mind is your house. You live there with your thoughts. If you don’t want to have negative thoughts, you must protect your mind. Do not let it be open to any stranger to step in.
So here I am to remind you that…
You have control over your life.
You do not have total control, but you have some control.
What will you consume, watch, listen to, and buy, who do you follow, befriend, and date? That is up to you.
Will you let it in or will you keep the door shut?
In modern-day parlance, it means:
- If you want to save money and encourage sustainability, you can remove all the shopping apps on your phone.
- If you are flooded with unwanted emails, you can unsubscribe to accounts and block the sender who does not add value to you.
- When following “influencers” on Instagram does not have a good influence on you, the unfollow button will be the best button you will ever click on. Better yet, delete Instagram from your phone.
- If reading the news is too upsetting and depressing, avoid reading it. If something important comes up, you will hear about it.
- If dating apps are not connecting you to potential partners, remove the app and go out and meet new people.
- If someone is stalking, being rude, disrespectful, wasting your time, or playing with your feelings — get ready for this: unfollow, unfriend, block, and delete their contact.
Keep your door shut.
Be deliberate about who crosses its threshold.
Be mindful of who and what you let into your mind, and you will have more happy thoughts and increased control over your emotions and life.
If you appreciate tales of ancient sages imparting profound wisdom from bygone eras this story is one of my personal favorites. Click here.
