So I’m wrapping up my self-care book for healers and helpers and it occurs to me I need to revamp it just a bit. In a conversation with my mom this morning about Periscope (get it, use it!) I’m yammering on and on about how I’ve thought for years that the Internet is our clumsy attempt to create the state of collective unconscious or “One-ness” that I believe we have on a spiritual level, in physical form. I’m teaching her about Periscope and the Twitter and the ever present hashtag when zing it hits me – #hashtags are how we choose what we see on the internet which is a perfect metaphor for how we choose what we “see” in life.
Our brains are our filter for the stream of information. Our experiences, our biases and opinions are by function the hashtags for our lives.
Whaaaat? No, really stay with me for a few minutes.
We #cats, we #dogs depending on what we want to view on Twitter and other social media right? We filter what we want to see in that moment by applying a hashtag to it. It’s the only way we have to wade through the stream of consciousness that is Twitter. Otherwise we’d go mad scrolling! We do that in life unconsciously – we #sadness, #success, #crappycars #stuckintraffic, etc. We all have those patterns. Don’t you know people, me, who are always the one to see the needy animal or hurting person in the room that 500 other people might not even notice? Can we not then use that as a metaphor for changing what and how we see life?
There is some science behind the fact that we see, notice, things in our environment that we’re thinking about, you can use the Google to find it. Martha Beck does a great exercise where she has you say the word blue over and over and then glance around and the blue things stand out, change the word to red and the same thing happens, change that to Cat that Needs A Home and you have my life ha! You may have experienced this when you were thinking about buying a nwe car; all of a sudden that car is seemingly everywhere!
New meditators or folks entering therapy experience this when they start personal growth. It seems like the Gates of Hell have risen up against you but what’s happened is you are now seeing clearly the complications that were there all along. It’s taking your blinders off and seeing what you have become numb to in your life and it can be shocking. It can also make you regret you ever started that *&$^+## meditation practice or therapy process in the first place!
So what’s your hashtag? What are you choosing to see, feel and experience in your daily life? It’s going to be the title to my book now because more and more I’ve become aware through this process that self-care is a concept and not a practice for so many helpers in the world. We’re good at talking it, not living it and I want to change that for as many people as I can because if we lose our helpers and healers where are we going to be as humans and animals? Are there enough youngsters to replace the ones who burn out and leave? I don’t think so plus I want to strengthen those who’ve been around awhile. We need the seasoned to train the new and while we’re training let’s model some for real, concrete, self-care work.
Think about it and put it in the comments below – What’s the hashtag for your life? For your business? What would you like it, them, to be?
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Fantastic article! I can’t wait for your book. I’m currently trying to change my hashtags from #negative to #positive. Not easy but I will #succeed and #behappy
haha perfect!
Awesome post! I miss you woman!!!
RHONDA!! So glad your son is ok! I miss you too!!
What an interesting concept and great name for your book. I hadn’t thought of what my life hashtags are beyond work, but they are certainly influencing everything I see these days. I use a few #dogs #pugs #rescuesrock related ones, then also #inspiration #optimism #love #fitfriday #happy #tastytuesday.
#tastytuesday sounds GREAT! lol!
We’re still getting used to all of the #mess! MOL
ha exactly! Then when you get used to one here comes another! #socialmediamadness
LOL, what a perfect way to think of life! #LoveIt! LOL!!!
Hmmm…I think that I am either #Success, #Passion or #Love. It’s not that I’m annoyingly optimistic or anything, more that I’m very driven. Drama has always surrounded me and I took the route of learning to let it roll off of my back rather than absorbing it into myself. If I don’t want to “get stuck in limbo” I can’t let someone else’s problems become my own.
Good point Robin!
You know – I totally get it, your article is pawesome! I can’t wait to read your book! Dogs don’t get bogged down with what if’s, if only’s, and are able to live in the moment – so my life’s hashtag is #fantastic! I dig being a dog – and humans have to dig being a human and dig their lives! 🙂
I think I would feel pretty good if I were a dog too!!
Very interesting concept, I like it! I try to make mine #MakeItHappen, but after a seriously tough weekend with my elderly Mom who is very unwell, my hashtag was more like #DazedandConfused. I’ll sure by Monday morning I’ll be #MakingItHappend again (-:
Love & Biscuits,
Dogs Luv Us and We Luv Them
Hmmm…lots of food for thought. I’m at a point right now that I’m ready to tune out of social media for awhile. I’m not a fan of periscope and dread the idea that there is one more time suck for kids especially. #overdone 🙂
Well said Maureen and regular breaks are so needed in order to last! I’ve heard repeatedly that 1 or 2 platforms over time builds your following without destroying you! I’m really enjoying Periscope because I’m able to connect to people with an immediacy lacking with the other platforms but I am barely into Instagram, half ass on Twitter and pretty active on FB although with FB algorithms only showing my posts to not even 0.05% of the people, I’m thinking I need to get away from that. I’ve heard I would do better if I used LinkedIn more but I too get #overdone 🙂 If you do go on Periscope you can find me at @MichelleWolff11 🙂
What an awesome article and book title. Having gone through a medical scare that is still getting resolved, I am in the process of restructuring my business and my life to eliminate stress. My new hashtag may not be well received by many as the words sound harsh but it makes me laugh. I don’t mean it literally but it keeps me from freaking out when other people may not be happy with the changes I am making to make my quality of life better for myself and those around me. Can you guess what my hashtag stands for? There is profanity in it. #GFY
I adore you and your hashtag!!! I think you should get it on a T-shirt and a coffee cup. Come to think of it make it a bumper sticker too! Blessings on your head for your health and your changes!