Being in the middle is rarely comfy. Think about the center seat in a row of three on an airplane – no armrest just for me! Maybe that is why there is a lot of data on middle children being the peacemakers. They balance precariously in the center of the teeter-totter trying to not take either side down with their weight. Middle school is often a treacherous time for young people; your body and mind seem to be at war with the world and it feels like fitting in is a struggle.
Grownups have their own form of middle school and it is stuffed with data on growing pains. We call it social media. It delightfully entertains us with best life comparisons of expertly curated pictures and stories. Users understand that scrolling through these addictive sites can either provide great new ideas or new themes for their anxiety nightmares. We must manage our thoughts on content.
The question is why we are so enthralled with the pretty pictures. We may just want to know that we are living up to the level of our peers. We may be looking for clues to how to level up our experiences. We may be bored with our own world. When we examine our true thoughts, we can manage the actions from them. Start with curating your sites and determine their intention. If you stopped reading any offerings from a site long ago, delete it and make room in case some new thought maker catches your eye. If you no longer bake, give it a rest with all of the sites with colorful cakes that you are never going to make. You may try to tell yourself that you want to bake them, but when you do make time for them, those pictures and more will be available for you. Try out a new podcast in a subject you want to know more about. Add a vegan site if you need inspiration for food choices. Add a more spiritual site to expand your soul. If you like the occasional fun picture or thoughtful quote, check out the @nextordinaryday site on Instagram. It’s a small dose to keep you thinking about our ordinary lives.
When you really think about it, you don’t watch the same shows that you did ten years ago; tastes change, our minds expand and want more. Middle schoolers grow rapidly, so open your locker and change out those old pictures. Last year’s team has moved on and now you can too.
Where can you kondo now that your drawers are tidy? What can you add that will bring you closer to your next step? Who can you listen to for inspiration? Who will be your better inspiration?
