Why You Shouldn’t Stress Over Your Notifications
No one ever reads them all
Hi there!
Email is stressful. So is social media.
Glancing at my notifications, I see 32 new notifications since I checked it an hour ago. The growing number is like a pacemaker speeding up my heart, but it shouldn’t be.
A few days ago, as I scrolled through my Facebook feed, one of those memory posts popped up. You know, the ones that link you to a friend and an event several years in the past.
It wasn’t the happy memory the social media gods intended it to be. The friend in the post passed away a few years ago. Even though Facebook prompted me to send her a message, she would never receive it.
I couldn’t help but think about my friend’s social media and email accounts.
Did her family close them or are they still collecting updates every day? Will anyone ever see those messages? She was 49 and thought she had so much life left.
Cancer decided otherwise.
“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”
–William James
Scott Ninneman also publishes the free All Things Bipolar Newsletter (off Substack) The Sunday email features the newest content about bipolar life.
Unread Messages
Life ends for most of us way too soon.
In the last year, I lost a half dozen clients, all relatively young and healthy, lost too soon because of accidents, botched surgeries, and fast-progressing illnesses.
I’m sure all of them left behind email accounts with unread messages. They each likely had social media accounts now causing similar feelings to their friends and family when they stumble upon them.
What’s the lesson?
Don’t be like me. When the notifications appear on your phone or computer, stay calm. You’ll never read all of them, so don’t let them stress you. If you delete some of them without ever opening them, the world won’t end.
Too often, I let unnecessary things cause me stress, but I work hard every day to improve that habit.
Take some time today to step away from your devices. Let your emails pile up. Leave your social media apps closed. Enjoy the day and be in the moment.
All the other stuff is meaningless. It will go on without you, so don’t let it stress you out today.
Write it out
Think about reducing the stress in your life with these prompts.
Journal Prompt: What is one thing in your life causing you unnecessary stress? How can you fix it?
Creative Writing Prompt: You get up tomorrow and have over one million notifications on your favorite social media app. Write a story about your viral post. Why did it take off? Did people respond in a positive or negative way? What happens next?
Until next time, keep fighting.
Scott Ninneman
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Thank you, I appreciate the advice