Tag Archives: Vermont

my day-to-day reality…

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Last week over coffee with friends we discussed checking our day-to-day reality against the news and social media feeds. We all agreed that our own experiences/interactions average about 97% positive out in the world.

Our lives are bombarded with constant messages designed to provoke an emotional reaction—a click to like or share, make a purchase, or a donation.

Does my experience map to what I’m told I should be feeling? What is the motivation? Who profits? Who or what is harmed by this message? Why?

I remembered the October testimony before Congress of FACEBOOK whistleblower Frances Haugen so I looked for some of her quotes. I included the C-SPAN link below. 

“I’m here today because I believe Facebook’s products harm children, stoke division, and weaken our democracy.”  —FRANCES HAUGEN, FACEBOOK WHISTLEBLOWER

FACEBOOK obviously isn’t alone in this practice—corporate advertising, influencers, lobbying groups, politicians, churches, colleges, non-profits, the list goes on and on. Many organizations are well worth our energy/resources AND many are designed to either create outrage or tug at our heartstrings.

If profit is to be made off of manipulating my emotional life, it seems like an act of revolution to first put my response through a reality/values filter.

It takes just a moment and when I take the time, I feel less manipulated and more in control.

  • manipulate: to change by artful or unfair means so as to serve one’s purpose
  • emotion: a strong feeling (such as love, anger, joy, hate, or fear)
  • profit: the compensation accruing to entrepreneurs for the assumption of risk in business
  • reality: something that actually exists or happens, a real event, occurrence, situation, etc.
  • values: something (such as a principle or quality) intrinsically desirable
  • filter: to pass or move through

“There is a pattern of behavior that I saw [at] Facebook: Facebook choosing to prioritize its profits over people.”

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/key-takeaways-facebook-whistleblower-frances-haugens-senate-testimony/story?id=80419357

Thank you, Joan, Mary, Christie, and Maggie for the coffee time spark. Also thank you Willa for the drawing of your that I used in the reality filter graphic.

the epidemiology of LACK…

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Researching the epidemiology of LACK hasn’t been an easy process…necessary, but not easy by any measure.

When I’m feeling less than, envious of others, or deserving of something I desire I tell myself I have a bad case of LACK or THE LACKS.

When LACK comes on (more often than I care to admit) I can notice (most of the time) that it’s my EGO & not my TRUE SELF in the emotional driver’s seat.

My EGO has road rage, cuts people off, and blames others for everything. My TRUE SELF is compassionate and lets people cut into traffic because they just might be having a really bad day.

Once I identified the annoying (and exhausting) symptoms of LACK, I wanted to lessen the impact they had on my mood. I put these steps in place.

My self-esteem comes from acknowledging ALL OF ME—warts and all. OK, Lisa, you think you’re coming down with LACK—why and what, let’s figure it out.

“Ego takes the quick fix, the easy route, and chooses props, image, identity, distractions, other people’s energy, ways to self-medicate and avoid the truth.” —Melanie Tonia Evans

Sometimes the malady of LACK can feel so overwhelming I want to blow up my entire life. Other times only a small shift is required—noting what’s going well, taking a nap, or a walk to soothe the symptoms.

I guess it depends on the viral load at the time.

PS Sometimes when a case of LACK comes on, I’m given valuable insight about an issue in my life that needs to be addressed. A case of LACK isn’t always bad.

SOURCES: Merriam Webster • MelanieToniaEvans-big-egos