Going through difficult times can wear you out. Managing tough times can make you weary and weak in your mind, body, and spirit. Developing bravery and withstanding difficult times requires some smart moves. Moves like:
- Eating well
- Sleeping well
- Exercising well
- Solving problems
- And Changing your perspective
You might be checking each of these off the list and still find yourself feeling weary. That might be due to your choices of entertainment. How you entertain yourself can influence you directly or subconsciously. What you see, hear, and experience can greatly impact your mood. Here are some unexpected ways your entertainment might be making you weak.
Your entertainment might be causing overstimulation – Some sights and sounds can be overstimulating causing distress and anxiety. If you tend to react to an abundance of noise or commotion from the television, radio, or other media, consider turning things off and spending some time being quiet. If you prefer to have background noise, make sure your choices are soothing and neutral, so your senses aren’t overwhelmed.
Your entertainment might be too close to home – When you are facing difficult times, it can be a poor choice to engage in entertainment that has heightened emotions. Psychological thrillers, suspenseful content, or horror genre can trigger additional fears and anxieties. You might thoroughly enjoy these types of entertainment under normal circumstances, but you might need to eliminate them while you are working on being brave during a crisis.
Your entertainment might detach you from reality – Escapism isn’t a bad thing. Getting out of your head and forgetting the sorrows you are facing is a good idea when you need a distraction; however, too much escapism could hurt you. Using entertainment to escape reality and avoiding or neglecting yourself or your commitments can make a difficult time harder than it needs to be. Be sure to use good discipline and manage the frequency and type of entertainment you engage in so you can take care of what’s needed.
People don’t always think about how their entertainment can amplify their emotions. Most people watch what they watch, listen to what they hear, and experience things without much intention. When times are hard, it’s important to take precautions to fortify your energy and keep your mind clear from distraction. Limiting your entertainment to wholesome, inspiring, and uplifting content can help.
Building a brave mindset includes small actions woven together to make a strong lifestyle during a difficult time. Watching what you eat, exercising, and having a good perspective all help. You can increase the effectiveness of your efforts by monitoring your entertainment and making sure you choose the best content for the mental space you’re in.