A view from the bridge: To jump, or change course?

I’m not exactly an information junkie, but I’m infinitely curious about matters pertaining to health, well-being and (fairly recently) politics.

I have felt lately, like I’m in need of insulating myself a bit from incoming data that appears incredibly educational, valid and from which I wanna learn~ but at the same time, triggers within me some emotional duress.

Some posts are landing in my inbox that feel like heat-seeking missiles that penetrate my consciousness, and add to my ALREADY fragile sense of optimism (since the 2020 “election”).

Even seeing certain headlines alone, feel like battery acid dripping on my limbs. I’m not proud of this. I’m a tough kinda dame who’s historically stood up to almost every challenge life’s thrown at me… but all living, breathing organisms are occasionally vulnerable. To deny this reality, is to continue placing oneself in harms way.

The sense I have of losing some ability to carry on in the joyful manner to which I am accustomed, has me examining how I can rectify this concern for myself. I’m having to question just what feels nourishing to me, and what feels erosive.

For many years, I’ve cautioned clients about listening to or watching The News. I’ve personally found being graphically exposed to man’s inhumanity to man is more than I can endure for even 2 minutes, without feeling depressed.

Yet, I’m now unintentionally absorbing this stuff via osmosis, just by being online. As I write this to you, my most fervent hope is that MY postings, while designed to help you better steer your ship, don’t feel like they’re dropping toxic sludge on you, no matter HOW well-meaning they’re intended to be.

Writer-contributors here on Substack are in my view, some of the most brilliant minds on earth. They’re incredibly well-researched and articulate. I so greatly appreciate the long, hard hours it takes to choreograph their vastly informative and enlightening essays… but I may, out of an immediate sense of self-preservation, be unfollowing a few of these accounts. :~(

I seem to lack the proper ‘filter’ needed to take-in some types of information, without being negatively impacted by it. I’m exceedingly grateful this has never been at issue during the course of my life’s work. By way of contrast, I had a friend and colleague for many years who’d crawl into her clients’ deep, excruciating pit with them and mentally obsess over their anguish for days and weeks on end. This is not helpful intervention, ‘cause who’s gonna pull ya both outta that hole?!

Bottom line, if it keeps you up at night, you’re in the wrong business.

I sincerely hope that a degree of understanding can help a few of you to accept that my retreat from ‘ouchie’ kinds information right now, is solely about Me and my limited threshold for enduring discomfort, and not about any lack of respect or appreciation I feel for You.