Do you ever feel disconnected? Maybe you live in California and your family lives in Texas. Or there’s a new grandbaby living 1000 miles away. You can’t just stop in to say hello or invite them to dinner. If you want to see them, you must make plans, travel. Video chatting is a poor replacement for the real thing. When we feel disconnected from people we love or those we rely on for help or support, it triggers stress. And we all know that stress creates high blood pressure, insomnia, inflammation and a weakened immune system. If this continues, the fight/flight response kicks into overdrive creating more problems, like social anxiety and fearfulness.
Maybe you feel you have no control over your work or feel that it is meaningless. Maybe you work from home and your co-workers are scattered around the country. The opportunity to get to know one another has disappeared along with the office breakroom. You don’t get together after work to enjoy each other’s company with a happy hour drink or a ball game. You lose opportunities to build close friendships. Do you ever feel a little lonely or depressed about that?
Depression at its deepest roots, stems from a lack of connection. It is a disease of disconnection.
Johann Hari’s book Lost Connections sites scientific evidence that causes of depression are a reflection of key issues with how we live our lives. This view is also reflected by Princeton professor Andrew Skull who believes that our depression is caused by problems with the way we are living today. It may be less about “chemical imbalances” from a lack of serotonin in the brain and more about “power imbalances” from a lack of connection.
Our world has changed. We are shut away in our homes. Exposure to the natural world may be limited to a few steps from house to car to work. Our children are focused on electronic screens rather than clouds and trees. We interact on social media rather than having face-to-face conversations. We are isolated; detached from the outside world in meaningful ways. We are afraid; disconnected from a hopeful and secure future. We feel disempowered. No wonder we feel depressed!
Now that you know better, you can do better. You can become more connected with our own internal guidance, your inner wisdom. Go within. Breathe. Connect with the Source of Life. Listen. Know that you have everything within you to create the life you want. You are a powerful creator with unique skills, talents and abilities.
You can embrace your own meaningful values and act accordingly. You know what is right for you when you listen to your inner self. Be aware that your body is always sending signals to reinforce what is a right or wrong action for you. You know that feeling in your gut that says, “don’t go there!” When you are aligned with your truth, your actions reflect that.
You can engage in meaningful work where you use your individual skills and talents to the best of your ability. You are a work in progress. Your skills are continually improving. When you align with your purpose and mission in life, meaningful work happens.
You can connect with other people in your life – connect in the real world, not on Facebook or Instagram or LookAtMe. You can band together with others to create more and achieve more. You can enjoy life more when you share it with people you love.
You can step out of your home and connect with the real, living, breathing world of nature. Being in nature is a stress reducer. A walk in the woods or time at the beach can do wonders for your peace of mind and create a sense of tranquility.
You can choose how you live your life. You can choose to connect with yourself and boost your personal power. To connect is to join; to establish a relationship. Whether you believe it or not, you are connected to every one and every thing on this planet. We are one.
#choice #depression #connection