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Coping with Modern Life Stress: The Effects of Social Media and Advertising...

How Social Media and Advertising Affect You and Your Chakras


Many years ago, you would set off to work on foot, cross a few people getting there, usually have a seat on some kind of public transport and maybe on your way to work, you would see a few advertising billboards. It would often be quite warming to see the artwork on these, and maybe on one, you would see a product that created a desire within you to buy it. On your TV at night, between the programmes, you would see some ads. But whenever you left your house, there was no means of contacting you, because mobile phones didn’t exist. If you needed to touch base with someone, you used a payphone. And so, most of the day, you had a pleasant life, interacting with real people. You would admire a tree you came across, and your mind would also be very present to cope with your day. In modern day terms, this would mean you were automatically being mindful. Psychologically, you would be well equipped to deal with many of life’s problems and apply your thinking process to solving them.


But that is not our life today. Now, we find ourselves coping with modern stress.This shift from a slower, more human-paced life to the overwhelming, digitally saturated one we experience now, has brought a new set of challenges along with it for our mental well-being and focus. And just imagine what that might be doing to your chakras as well!

Here are some considerations to keep your chakras balanced, your mind freer to enjoy your life and to deal with your problems more easily. First let’s identify the target areas.


Why Scrolling Overloads Our Brains

When we scroll through social media, news channels, even search for something on Google,  our brains are exposed to a constant flow of information, which can overwhelm our cognitive processing abilities. The human brain isn’t designed to handle such an enormous amount of data at once, especially the rapid shifts between different types of content. This leads to information overload, a condition where our brains struggle to process and retain what we see. Over time, this overload can impair decision-making, reduce focus, and even contribute to anxiety and mental fatigue​  Just like our minds, our poor little chakras can’t keep up with the speed of the external data we are exposed to, or indeed, the emotions that are created within us, resulting from our modern digital life.


Where Advertising Fantasy Land Takes Us.

Advertising often feeds into feelings of lack by showing us an idealized version of how we could look, live, or what we should own. Constant exposure to such content reinforces the idea that we do not have a perfect life/hair/insurance policy, pushing us to strive for perfection, which is unattainable and exhausting. Advertising has mastered the art of creating a sense of “not enough,” leaving us feeling discontented with what we already have.


Let’s face it, most of us could never afford to buy everything we like the look of in an ad. And even if we could and did, our homes would be filled with hundreds, if not thousands of items we would hardly ever use! This has led to a new hobby being listed on people’s CVs across the globe. It’s called shopping. But is shopping really a hobby? Or is it a need to own things and create inner peace that gives a moment of contentment, a feeling of accomplishment and success and helps us to keep our solar plexus chakra under control?


Social Media: The Fear of Missing Out

As if the constant advertising we are bombarded with wasn’t enough,  the regular use of smartphones and constant internet access has made it impossible to "switch off." The information overload is compounded by social media, which pushes carefully curated, often unrealistic, versions of life. It's easy to scroll through and believe everyone else has a more exciting, glamorous, or happier life than we do. Subconsciously, the curated feeds we see can trigger comparison anxiety, making us feel like we’re missing out or not measuring up and making us put ourselves into question. This subconscious, yet very natural human fear of missing out  can also have a significant impact on our mental health, leading to low self-esteem, loneliness or worse. What we often forget is that what we see is hardly ever reality. But then, who wants to see your friend Agnes brushing her teeth in her nightie, looking knackered after a hard day’s work on Facebook? And even less so on Instagram or Tiktok.


Additionally, the 24/7 marketing cycle makes it harder for people to escape consumerism. Every app, website, or platform you use can track your habits and serve targeted ads, even when you're not actively shopping. The boundaries between work, leisure, and personal time have blurred, and many people find themselves constantly "on," struggling to achieve a balance between their digital and physical lives​. Scrolling at work? Buying in your lunchtime? Working when you could be playing? Bored in your free time? Hmm.


No News is Good News? How Constant Updates Impact Our Peace of Mind

News channels, 24/7. Know what’s happening. Be up to date. You must know the latest breaking news. But start to ask yourself why? And much of our news either brings us shocking or depressing stories that make us feel worried, upset or disturbed. On smartphones, tablets , even in our emails, news is often mixed with more ads, forcing our minds to flick between reality and never-never land. From a chakra point of view, this need-to-know instant news is like shopping. It feeds and tries to satisfy other lacks we feel, without necessarily addressing the core issues.


The Dopamine Circle

Our brains are wired to respond to stimuli by releasing dopamine, the "feel-good" hormone. This creates a feedback loop that makes us crave more engagement, leading to compulsive scrolling, which only worsens the overload. ​.


How Our Chakras Are Affected

With all that information overloading our eyes, our ears, our brains, even our bodies, our poor little chakras can’t keep up with the digital age. Don’t have the ideal relationship that you see in movies? Your heart chakra cries out. Can’t afford that lovely thing you saw in that ad on the telly? What a useless person you are. Another little blockage hops into your solar plexus chakra, reducing your self-confidence and making you feel like you are not whole. And once we feel that lack, even our root chakra can get out of kilter and make us feel insecure. Then we are really in trouble.


But the worst thing is really that with all the information we have to cope with, we are rarely 100% present to deal with our real life. And our chakras really need us to be present or they start acting up. “Present” means being there with full attention, using your 5 senses. To really look and absorb with your eyes, to really listen with your ears, to really feel what is going on in your heart and your body. To remember to smell and inhale the moment. To be conscious of your touch, how you touch yourself on your arm, on your face during a conversation and so forth.

Even when in conversation, we can feel distracted these days, so much so that we would prefer to be looking at our phones! This is because the call of the relentless scroll is louder than real life. But don’t worry. Soon we will have robots that think for us. In fact, we already do!


How to Be Present in a World Full of Distractions

There are obvious solutions to the problems of modern life. And the main thing I am concerned about is your wellness. So, when you wake up use consciousness and really be present. Watch your brain reaching for your phone and say no. It takes the average person 12 minutes to feel awake. So, use 20 minutes in case. Don’t touch that phone!  Watch your brain lobbing information at you regarding what you have to do today as soon as you have woken up. That is because the amount of information you throw at your brain every day is too much. So, it starts working as soon as you are awake, perhaps it tries even when you are sleeping! So Stop. Be aware. Be present every morning when you awake and use all your senses to go through your morning ablutions. Enjoy the fact that you can have your coffee or tea in a moment of silence or enjoy the company of your family and feel happy that you have them. Many are not lucky enough to have tea, coffee, water, a table to sit at, or a family.


Now, tune into your body, your chakras and clear your mind. Breathe. Focus. Set intention. Make affirmative statements to yourself about what you want to achieve today. Think of your loved ones. And then move ahead. Simply doing this will make you feel connected to you and your life. Your chakras will be happy and spinning along joyfully.


Be conscious when you travel. Be truly present. It will help you avoid accidents! Limit your time on your phone. Look at the ads, and if needs be, tweak your permissions so you see less of them. Unfollow social media accounts that trigger negative emotions, create a need or are just a waste of space. Instead, choose content that promotes positivity, personal growth, or relaxation. Be present when you watch the news and make a conscious decision that that is all the news you need to see today. Be proud if people ask you if you know the latest and just say, “No, tell me what happened?” Let’s face it, if the world was about to end, someone would tell you.


Coping with Modern Stress: Back to Basics for Real Connection

And as for your interactions with people, get back to basics. Look at people attentively. Listen carefully. Explain how you feel about things. At every moment you can, connect with nature. Breathe as you walk past a tree, take the time to stop and look at the flowers in a flowerbed and appreciate their beauty with all your senses, even for an instant. Take the time to listen to music, spend more time with your children or grandchildren.  And don’t tell me you don’t have time to do all that. Because you do. The time you are using to look at all the ads and scroll through your social media or get your news update. Do more positive, useful and mindful things instead.

You will find that when you have a problem, you will be far more equipped to deal with it. Your chakras will be whirring along with joy. Your mind will be far more peaceful and above all, you are more likely to stay well and live in happiness.

  

Sources:




A business woman looking at her mobile phone screen looking worried
How much of your life do you spend scrolling?


 

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