The human being, as a species, is a spectacular thing. We were able to articulate complex thoughts through words; we developed writing and mathematics to record and pass on knowledge to subsequent generations; and, of course, we managed to domesticate several species of plants and grains, thus creating agriculture and establishing ourselves in a single place.
All of this helped us get to where we live today. For example, I'm here in Brazil, and I can immediately send this message to you, who could literally be reading it on the other side of the world in a fraction of a second. But how beneficial has this been for you? Yes, let's change the focus of our conversation a little, and let's stop talking about us as a species. Let's be a little more selfish and talk a little about ourselves as individuals.
If I ask you now, "When did you last run?" I imagine that the answer would most likely be something like, "I woke up in a rush because I ate breakfast to get to school or work on time," "I had to speed up to deliver a report on time," or "I ran because I needed to do something at the bank.".
Sit here and have a coffee with me; you don't need to rush it. I'll pour you a cup because I'd like to talk to you. Have you ever stopped to think about why you run? I don't mean the action, but the reason behind it.
Everything needs to be resolved now, right? Right? In fact, our conception of urgency is at least obtuse; after all, until now we have only talked about actions, but where did you put yourself in this situation, not your things?
How many hours did you sleep last night? When did you last do what you loved so much? When was the last time you felt great joy? And a lot of sadness? I am here. Let's talk about it. Hey, hey, stop. You just read those questions and didn't even pause to think about them. So, why are you rushing though this? Well, let's try again. Take a deep breath, look at each question, think about them and answer one at a time.
May I give you a suggestion? Put down your cell phone that you've been holding since we started talking and leave it on silent. Not only that, close the browser tab on your social media page. These microdoses of dopamine will cruelly addict you and, over time and without control, will destroy your perception of yourself and the value you place on small things. Let's try again. "When was the last time you felt great joy?" If you don't have an answer, "When was the last time you talked about this with someone?"
One of the things I've done in recent years that was recommended to me by my therapist due to my chronic anxiety and that I'm very happy to share the results of is deleting practically all of my social networks. It was a huge pain at the beginning, really as if I was withdrawing from some heavy drug, but after a few months this pain went away, and today life seems calmer and less fast-paced, which helped me immensely.
We, as a society, may be moving forward, but never forget to look at yourself and your needs, because our world certainly won't.
The idea behind these comments is just to cause a little reflection based on past experiences I've had, as well as try to remove some of the stigma around mental health. I am neither blind nor hypocritical to forget where we are or the fact that I also post lewd images frequently, but I rationalized: what better place than the furry community to talk about it? After all, we are so open about sex; why not also be open about other important things? Please remember, if you've been feeling unwell for a while, do seek professional help; it's made a huge difference in my life, and I'm sure it can do so in yours too. Stay well, and remember to take at least five minutes for yourself every day :3
Just like you, not judging anyone; but thanks for having the guts to suggest people put away social media for a little while and see what real life is. I know AI did a lot of heavy lifting, but great image as well! I really like his proportions.
Just like you, not judging anyone; but thanks for having the guts to suggest people put away social
