You wake up in the morning with a decision to make: to go to the gym, or to get a head start on homework? You remember an article you recently read arguing that morning exercise makes you work more efficiently throughout the day. You also just read someone’s Facebook status expressing how much happier he’s been since getting into the routine of waking up early and finishing homework before noon and that sounds pretty nice too. How do we decide?
Our Information Age is often celebrated for one of its characterizing features: easy access to knowledge. Any snippet of info you desire is available in the palm of your hand, or resting on your lap. While in many ways content brings us clarity, the influx of opinion after opinion is also causing an eruption of confusion. It seems that within everything we read, be it an Elite Daily article or a forum comment, there lies yet another instruction on how to live mentally- and physically-healthy lives. Everything from what to eat, how to be fit, how to treat others, how to think of ourselves, to how to spend our free time is under constant scrutiny. Trends in thought rise and fall with such ease that it’s become an impossible task to make sense of all of them.
Making decisions is tough when, for every piece of advice that aligns with our own habits, there are thousands more telling us we’re doing something wrong. First meat-free was the way to go; now the paleo-diet says to go for the burger but leave off the bun. Don’t let a long-term relationship hold you back from experiences — but here are 20 things that are wonderful about being in a relationship. Say yes to everything and put yourself out of your comfort zone — but you’re cool and self-assured if you like staying in with a book and a cup of tea. Hey, you’re young; you should enjoy yourself and not take life too seriously — but now’s the most crucial time to get started building the life you want.
With this continual flow of perspectives on how to live, we’ve started to mistrust our own instincts. The web of possible lifestyles has discredited the idea that living well might be as simple as listening to your mind and body and learning from your own experiences what works for you and what doesn’t. There is a refreshing TED Talk by Sandra Aamodt called, “Why dieting doesn’t usually work,” in which Aamodt suggests that the best way to lose weight is not to cut this or that out of your diet. Rather, she suggests learning to listen to your body, simply eat what it’s asking for and stop eating when you’re full.
We can take this wisdom and apply it elsewhere. If, when faced with a decision, we must weigh the pros and cons of every bit of applicable advice we’ve read, our choices might turn out OK, but they are coming from the wrong place. When it comes to matters of the mind and body, you should first look to the primary source. If after listening to your own instincts you find no answers, then it’s time to search through other perspectives for new ideas.