Today we are always moving. Our minds are always racing, our fingers always typing. We are constantly chasing deadlines and running from opportunities to slow down. Why, when you’re trying to fall asleep, do you have to put on a YouTube video to drown out the silence? Why can’t you exist in public without reaching out to someone by calling or texting them? Why can’t you go a day without checking what people from high school that you don’t even talk to anymore are doing on Instagram?
Why are you always looking for something to be wrong?
The real question is: what is so wrong with nothing being wrong?
It’s really hard to change the way you think. Let’s take a step back and think of the last time you just sat down and relaxed. When’s the last time you read a book? Journalled? Thought about your future in a positive light rather than making a checklist of impending to-do’s to get to where you want to go? Talked to yourself kindly?
Although it can feel like you’re tackling your anxiety by constantly reassessing your upcoming due dates, it’s also important to be able to feel like you can live with yourself; to enjoy your thoughts as if it is a chance to catch up with an old friend. Next time you impulsively click that social media app to scroll through posts in a mindless attempt to escape the silence that sets in when you’re alone, try to stop yourself.
There are proven negative effects to the excessive use of smartphones, including an association with stress and anxiety, so the first step to decreasing these feelings of worry may be to try to cut down your screen time. A good alternative may be to pick up a good book, as this can increase relaxation and reduce anxiety — a favourite of mine for this month is The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. Not only do books promote this calming effect, but they are also a good intermediate step in understanding yourself and your surroundings. Practicing self-care is also a popular alternative to smartphone and social media abuse, as it allows you to get back into connection with yourself and your thoughts.
I urge you, the next time that you find yourself in a situation where you feel as though the cycle of worry causes you to lose touch with reality, that you take a step back and assess what is going wrong. Sometimes, you’ll find that the answer is nothing. Sometimes there is nothing wrong, and that is all we needed to remember.