7 Ways to Guard Your Heart in a Content Heavy World
“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23
With it being only a few days into the new year, my head is spinning with ideas for resolutions to make and habits to build. It has me thinking about all the things that influence decision-making and the ways we can control what goes into our hearts and our heads.
Here are seven ways we can actively protect ourselves from information overload in the content-heavy world we’re in…
Detox from electronics — it could be for a couple hours, or it could be for a couple weeks, but logging off of social media and staying away from screens can be a much needed retreat.
Watch a movie from a previous decade — trying out a new movie can be a mixed bag, but there’s something so nostalgic and magical about watching a film from a different decade!
Know your triggers — some people are more bothered by violent content, or sexual content, than others. Although repeat exposure will numb anybody to any subject, knowing your specific triggers can help keep you away from content that might stick with you.
Be intentional with social media use — it’s easy to pop open social media apps to pass the time, but what if we all got a little more intentional with it? What if, instead of using it to distract ourselves, we set aside a period of time every day to actually enjoy it?
Resist binge watching — our brains get a dopamine hit whenever we decide to binge watch a show… but lack of self-control isn’t harmless. Have you noticed that when you binge watch you get more impatient? More hard-headed? Less understanding? Our brains want to keep feeling good and any interruption becomes overwhelming.
Make a list of TV shows and movies to watch — it might seem counter-intuitive, but setting aside the time to prioritize what you actually want to spend time digesting can be a very powerful exercise. The trap is in the mindless scrolling… if we set aside time preemptively to watch certain things, we’re taking ownership of those choices and will naturally think longer and harder on them.
Ask yourself: am I proud of this? — a good final measure to take before reading that book, watching that show, or scrolling through that social feed is to ask the question: are you proud of what you’re consuming? Would you talk about it with other people? Would you watch it with your family and your friends, or do you only feel comfortable watching it alone? All of these questions can be good final gatekeepers when it comes to letting something into to your heart, mind, and memory.
What do you think? Are there measures that you take to help limit your content consumption or guard what kind of information enters your heart? I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas below!
