Is thriving a given or a choice? | #THINKINGHUES
Exploring the realities of brain health and what's at stake.
It’s no longer enough to passively move about the world. Thriving is a choice, because the world, as it exists today, is not supportive of your flourishing. Unfortunately, the reality to come to terms with is how the world is positioned to prioritise productivity, efficiency, profits, and growth over optimal human thriving. It’s a hard irony to face.
We are the ones to benefit from this momentum of rapid progress, by creating much of the systems, structures, and physically built world we live in and amongst today. But, with great power, comes great responsibility– as they way. While perhaps in isolation each of these focal points can be an advantage, in practice and totality, the result is the depleted, distracted, diseased, unhappy, overweight, polarised society living in this increasingly hotter planet. As much as we’ve created this abundance, we may also be the cause of our downfall– that is if we continue with a lack of engagement with our choices.
Your Brain is You
At the centre of all the commotion though is you. You are your mind. You can be independent, as your entire comprehension of reality is dependent on the thinking part of you. Your reality ceases to exist without your mind. Yet, a functional mind also requires a functional brain. A human mind cannot exist without a brain– or at least we think so. But, even with a mind and a brain, here’s the truth: a prosperous existence is still not guaranteed.
To prosper and bloom to your optimal potential, you must safeguard the health of your brain, and the autonomy of your mind, and honour the liberties you have because a healthy brain needs nurturing and protection. Good sleep hygiene, ample stimulation, nourishing nutrients, contemplation, learning, intellect, and plenty of moments of recovery and rejuvenation. These are part of the formula to help a brain perform. But, if you want it to excel, then more attention is demanded, as without guidance, protection, and intentional actions, the brain will fail to thrive.
Because in this age of digital madness and technology-driven overstimulation, brain health is not a given. Brain health demands intentional manoeuvring. While evolution since the days of our hunter-gatherer past, has equipped you with the tools to survive, nature has simply been outpaced by the incredible yet far too rapid advancements in technology.
The Dynamic Brain
The brain is dynamic, yet the leap we are forcing it to adapt to is far too great of a jump. With the pace of change, the brain is struggling to grasp how best to adapt to the context it is exposed to. It’s trying hard, but left to its own accord, mere survival is what it can do. I assume this is why industries like self-help, therapy, and other wellness-related sectors are booming in this era. The businesses that try to teach you how to be a better human are robust.
For a long time now, I’ve wondered why are we the only species that need help or reminding how to be ourselves, ( I explore these ideas further in The Essence of Being Human). Perhaps the world is changing too fast for evolution to stay on pace and this is why, unlike other animals, we are so disconnected from our instincts.
With the introduction of more technology, it’s without a doubt that our brains, from children to adults are rewiring. Whether it’s the shortening of attention spans, the fear of communicating in person, to decision paralysis due to the abundance of choices, my educated assumption is that brains are adapting to the technologies being pushed out. The main question though is, are brains adapting for the better or the worse of our species? Looking at all the reports on the state of global mental health lately, perhaps it may seem it is the latter.
Much of what’s around you today, from digital doom-scrolling to toxic chemicals in your food to the everyday copious amounts of screen time and other digital distractions are only some of the things that aren’t conducive to your well-being. Yet, your brains are forced to adapt to these unsupportive circumstances, which are ballooning faster than your brain can adapt.
