#WW: šŸŽ£ Are you a dying fish playing a social media game?

2 mins read
Published on Aug 3, 2022

Wholesome Wednesdays (WW): Bringing you curated positive content on Wednesdays to uplift your hump day.

Today, we look at two stories with the theme of endings. One talks about how we might inevitably kill our self-confidence. The other talks about our unwillingness to face the uncertainty of death.

1. Here’s how we unwittingly devalue our accomplishments

2. The dying fish fighting over water and the lessons we can learn

Here’s how we unwittingly devalue our accomplishments

flat screen computer monitor turned on
Unsplash

What’s going on here

Liz and Mollie, a famous Instagram page for doodles, shares a poignant image of how we shatter our confidence just by simply scrolling through social media. The caption provides greater reflection for those of us who consume social media before we get out of bed in the morning.

Why we like it

This post reminds us of how we can do a disservice to ourselves by scrolling through social media. We often try to use social media to distract us from boredom…only to find ourselves feeling guilty for not moving fast enough/being good enough/being smart enough. This image is an easy reminder to not over-scroll on Instagram.

“If you’ve ever found yourself scrolling and self-loathing, remember that we usually only get to see people’s highlight reels.”

Wise Steps

Set an Instagram timer using its settings to make you pause through your scrolling. This prevents you from going into a loop of self-loathing.

Read it here or below

Want a more tangible way to grow? Check out Liz’s book on embracing emotions at work!

The dying fish fighting over water and the lessons we can learn

body of water surrounded by trees
Unsplash

What’s going on here

į¹¬hānissaro Bhikkhu, a monk famous for translating loads of suttas into English & his uber-low voice, talks about how the impermanence of life can really motivate us to be better people. You could die today, are you ready to go? This 12 mins talk reminds us that if we donā€™t pull our act together, no one is gonna do it for us.

Why we like it

Venerable Thanissaro challenged us to look at our minds right now, and see if we are like fish fighting in a pond that is being drained of water. His calm narration would lure you back to reality and see what is truly important. This talk reminds us of how things are uncertain and how we can’t control our bodies & health.

See also  Through a Buddhist Lens: Waking Up To The World And Taking Rest From It.

“The world is drying up and the fishes are beating each other for whatever water is left.”

Wise Steps

Contemplating the impermanence of life can ground us in the present moment and guide us to prioritise the things that matter most in life. There is work to be done and we can’t be complacent.

Enjoy the talk here or play it below!


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