What If Instead of the TV, You Chose Your Own Brainwashing

You are being brainwashed - why not take control of the brainwashing and become happier, calmer, and more optimistic?

Image created by “AI tool Microsoft Bing Image Creator powered by DALL·E” - the author has the provenance and copyright.

In the previous article, we talked about how you are being brainwashed and the damage it incurs. Today, I wanted to present an alternative option.

Since you’re being brainwashed all the time, why not curate the content of that brainwashing to feel happier, healthier, and more optimistic instead of miserable and pessimistic?

Both light and darkness exist in this world

Why choose to focus on the bad when you can focus on the good?

Our focus and perspective are a choice, and they carry consequences! 

• First, it impacts your perception of everything, beliefs, and assumptions. 

• Second, it influences how you feel, the most essential part of your existence.

• Third, whatever you focus on is amplified in your experience through focus (noticing more of) and actual life circumstances (the content of your mind is reflected in your life).

Here is where you are:

• TV news and commercials are brainwashing you for misery, fear, and pessimism, creating fresh needs and desires within you.

• The additional negative self-talk and complaining in conversations with others cement the negativity and affirm just how miserable and full of suffering life is.

Here is where you want to be:

• Consume content and self-talk that reminds you of all the good, beauty, and love in the world and your life. Cement it by choosing uplifting topics when talking to others.

• Teach yourself to focus on the good, not the bad - the light, not the darkness. 

• Become perpetually happy, loving, confident, and at peace, regardless of outside circumstances.

But isn’t that delusional?

Not at all! The world contains more good than bad, and that’s a fact. The world is not the problem - your mind distorts your perception.

• Most people are okay most of the time. Only some suffer from illness, are handicapped, become victims of crime, or find themselves in war. 

• If you are objective, most things in your life are good, and only some are bad. If you can’t see them, you’ve been focusing on the lack and the bad. 

• Most things have been constantly improving in the world, globally and locally, but have you noticed it?

• Most of the world is at peace, but you only notice the misery, turbulence, and suffering.

• Most people are good, kind, loving, and helpful, but they don’t get talked about as much as the rude or violent assholes.

Even if it were delusional, it would be beneficial!

How you feel in your life, whether you are happy or miserable, lonely or content, lacking or feeling enough, is a matter of personal perspective. Don’t believe me?

• Are there no lonely, miserable people in relationships or with families?
  Are there no single happy people?

• Are there no rich and miserable, depressed, or suicidal people?
  Are there no happy and content people with very limited means?

• Are there no absolutely miserable but perfectly healthy people?
  Are there no sick who are happy?

While encouraging circumstances can help, they don’t guarantee happiness or satisfaction. Only your mind can! Never look for solutions to your happiness, loneliness, or mental suffering in the outside world. You will never find it there.

But the world is horrible and dangerous - I can’t just ignore it!

• Why not?

• What exactly are you doing to fix the world? 

• How are you helping those suffering on the other side of the world?

• How are you helping a situation by observing it, thinking, and talking about it?

• How do you benefit from not ignoring it?

If you’re honest, you will admit you’re not helping. Most likely, you can do nothing about these situations because they are out of your control. 

Epictetus: “Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle: Some things are within our control, and some things are not.”

While you’re not helping anyone by passively participating in their misery and suffering, you’re directly negatively impacting your own life. 

You are sad, angry, discouraged, pessimistic, and depressed. You then spread this misery to others, emanating a negative energy into this world.

You’re like a virus of negativity, infecting anyone you can get your hands on. And yet, this will never improve anyone’s life, fix problems, or result in happiness.

• Is this really what you want? 

• Is it worth it?

• Is this how you want to spend the remainder of your life?

When you are ready, you will realize the underlying truth of our universe—the mind is all, not only in your perspective and determining how you feel but also in directing what happens in your life and the world around you.

By focusing on and spreading the darkness, you are contributing to more darkness in your life and the world you inhabit, directly and literally.

How would you feel if you brainwashed yourself with the following instead?

In the previous article, we discussed the ideas that TV news and commercials are brainwashing with.

What would the diametrical opposite of those ideas look and feel like?

• I am always safe.

• The world is a safe and pleasant place.

• I am perfect. The universe is perfect.

• I am enough just as I am.

• My life is good enough.

• I am worthy of love. I am loved by all.

• I need nothing. I have all I need and want already.

• Everything in my life is always perfect.

• People are kind, loving, and good.

• Anything is possible at any time.

• I see only good news and pleasant surprises.

• I am surrounded by love and light.

• Every day, in every way, I am (or things are) getting better and better.

• I am strong and healthy.

• My body and mind are always perfect.

• I am grateful that everyone I love is always healthy and happy.

• May all living beings be happy, healthy, and free from suffering (Metta meditation).

• Everything always works out for me.

• I am happy and satisfied right here, right now.

• Life is good, and I am grateful for every moment I am given.

• I have so many things to be thankful for… (listing them)

Delusional? Maybe. Helpful? Definitely. Feels good? Oh yes! Do I want more of that? Absolutely! Shall I try it?

I don’t know - will you? What have you got to lose?

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