The world we absorb by Karen Revivo

Back in the late 80’s when I was living in Israel, I was an avid reader but at that time finding English books in the little town I was living was quite hard. There was this old bookshop in the front of this charming old mans house where he allowed you to take in a book and swop it for another one. They were all second hand and the English books were few so I never had much choice in what I read.

When I was reading a romance I would expect my boyfriend to hold open a door, when I was reading a thriller I would worry about locking the door and when I read that intense feminist book, well you can just imagine. The books I was reading were affecting my perception of the world and how I was engaging with it. It was only when I had read the feminist book and we were arguing a bit more that I fully appreciated how I was reacting.

Roll forward 30 years, I am very fussy about the types of things I will read but we are all being bombarded by this information. 24 hours news, fake news, hyped up urban myths. Subliminal images through advertising. We are such an intense “fear fed “ culture.

How can we be surprised that our mental health is affected and so many people are needing help with excessive amounts of anxiety. Our mental health will respond to how it is being “fed” In the same way we talk about how gut health and the food we eat affects our physical health what we read, talk about and dwell on affects our mental health.

So take control for yourself, turn off the news, unfriend that negative acquaintance, feed your soul with something kind or funny. Learn about how small changes can make a difference. Get out in nature , practice gratitude. No-one else can do this for you. Stop and look at how these things affect you and make those changes today.