In the last positive passage, I told the story of a young man who decided to reduce the pain in his life by taking charge of himself. He wrote me again telling of a conversation with his friend.
I keep thinking about a conversation I had with my friend Rob on Friday evening. I decided to tell him a bit about the experiences I had on Thursday and Friday. I mentioned I felt inspired to rearrange the icons on my phone and try to reduce my intake of “noise.”
Rob lit up and said he had made a similar decision recently. He had grown more and more stressed because of a combination of factors, including uncertainty and increased workload at his job. He was consuming social media and sports and news in the mornings and evenings and throughout the day. His wife suggested he cut out some of the noise and see if that helped him connect more with God and reduce his stress level. For a few weeks now, Rob has been more careful about what he listens to and reads–especially in the mornings. He has built a quieter morning hour, and he has felt a real difference.
Reflection
- Is there a relationship between social media and stress?
- What is the value of a quieter morning?
- What could you do to reduce the noise in your life?
- How could we use this passage to create a more positive organization?