The 2 Most Powerful Things to Do to Stay Sane in an Insane World

Originally created by Gabriel Jasmine, © the Author

Read and write.

It is a chaotic world.

We are constantly bombarded by events, news, and all kinds of information every single day. As humans, we often suffer from cognitive overload without even realizing it.

What’s even more concerning is that the majority of people consume information at face value.

Social media, being a free space for individuals to express themselves and share their perspectives, presents an inherent danger. While the accessibility of social media allows us to glimpse into the lives and thoughts of others freely, all we consume may not always reflect the complete truth. Often time, it’s just a perspective of others.

You’ll be surprised to find out how fast we, humans jump to conclusions without verifying the information.

Not that we are lazy. It’s just impossible.

There are so many of them. We do not have the mental capacity to stop and digest and think through before leap into conclusion for every single piece of information that springs up in our cognitive circle.

That becomes a problem.

When there are too many irrelevant pieces of information in our system, it becomes difficult for us to make rational decisions that are in line with our best interests for significant subjects.

We find ourselves grappling with choices and feeling overwhelmed by the noise. We delay decision-making. Next, we start blaming ourselves for not being able to navigate through this clutter effectively and wasting too much time in the same cycle.

This self-blame only perpetuates the cycle, bringing us back to the same place where we struggle once again.

Hence. To stay sane, rather than allowing uncontrollable information influx inundates us, we should reclaim control and dictate which information to let into our mind.

To do that, first, you need to detach yourself from this tumultuous sphere and allow yourself a space to engage in deep contemplation and reflection.

To be able to think deeply, there’s only one way —

Read

Reading is a powerful way to expand your mind and broaden your perspective.

Almost everyone can read, but not everyone is willing to do so.

I often experience anxiety, where my mind is filled with a multitude of thoughts, yet there is an intense emptiness within. I struggle to grasp onto any of the swirling thoughts, which leaves me feeling anxious.

This is one of the symptoms of cognitive overload. To move forward from this, stop and read.

How social media, reading and writing affect your state of mind. Graphic by Gabriel Jasmine, © the Author

Read a Book

Not social media. Not from the internet. But a book.

Reading from a phone, tablet, or any device that have multiple functions can be distracting. Imagine trying to read, and suddenly a notification pops up. You instinctively tap on the notification and find yourself scrolling through texts or social media posts. One post leads to another, and before you know it, 30 minutes or even hours have passed.

Distraction. Not only it eats up your time and energy, it escalates the chaos in your mind as they are the culprits of cognitive overload.

Our brain acts like a sponge, soaking up its surroundings. It absorbs information from our environment, whether we are consciously aware of it or not — conversations, social media posts, billboards, and news all become processed by our brain.

They shape our thoughts, change our perceptions and influence our view about the world.

Thus, I see social media as the primary culprit of cognitive overload.

Read a real book.

Choose a book that delves into a puzzle you’re seeking to solve. Immerse yourself in the author’s universe and obtain a fresh perspective from another mind.

That’s how you get to escape from the clamor and disarray of the world and allow yourself a space to form an unbiased opinion for a subject.

While the world wonders about the possibility of teleportation and time machines, books is the best machine of both. They can transport you to the depths of history, propel you into the farthest future, or whisk you away to fantastical realms that are beyond your imagination. Within the pages of a book, you explore places that might otherwise remain inaccessible in the real world.

It puts you in an isolated space. Within this space, you can discover answers to your deepest confusions. Through the words on the page, you gain clarity and find solace in the perspectives and insights shared by the author.

We are not supposed to take in everything we read without thinking through — even for information that comes from a famous figure.

After delving into the thoughts of others, now you have to solidify your understanding and form your own perspective. This is where the act of writing comes in.

Write

Writing takes you on a journey to your own world, prompting you to ask introspective questions based on the knowledge and insights gained from the author’s realm.

Do the beliefs and perspectives align with your own values? How do you interpret and make sense of this newfound information in the context of your own world?

For me, writing is an act of self-healing and mental enrichment. It compels you to delve deep into a subject and confront the tough questions you may not have previously considered.

While we often imagine writing as something you engage in for hours on end, the reality is that the process is often filled with pauses and contemplation. And that’s precisely the essence of it.

The expection vs. the reality of writing. Graphic by Gabriel Jasmine, © the Author

Now. Can you visualize the whole cycle of unclogging your mind, enabling a smooth flow of thinking again?

Imagine this. Reading and writing are a form of triggers.

Reading is a catalyst. Opening the valve introduces a stream of fresh, clean water that not only flushes away the accumulated buildup in the pipe, restoring a renewed flow but also replenishes the system with a revitalizing infusion.

Writing, on the other hand, serves as a stimulus, triggering new chemical reactions and transforming the water into a new, processed form.

Take This Before Leaving This Space

Read and write has to come in pair.

Read and don’t write. You only get 30% of your knowledge into your system.

Write and don’t read. You only write based on one perspective.

Read and write when paired together, it turns your already speedily rotating learning and growth wheel into a fire wheel.

Last word — Read when you’re feeling empty, write when your tank is full.

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Till next time!