How to become happier, healthier, and hotter, using FILTERS
It’s not what it sounds like.
I hope you know me by now - I’m not one to sugarcoat the state of the union.
I’m not afraid to be honest about what I know we’re all thinking (and feeling) these days: this modern-day world is totally overwhelming, overstimulating, and whatever the opposite of peaceful is.
I have always been passionate about genuine self-improvement in the physical, mental, and spiritual realms - if you’re here, I can imagine you are as well! - and so I spend a lot of time researching, or rather consuming within these spaces, in an attempt to learn and grow.
Lately the wellness industry has been having its moment, and as I continue to grow and mature into an obsessively online world, there is never a shortage of fresh content or hot advice at my disposal.
Yes, it’s true that I can attribute much of my health and wellness knowledge to methods or prophecies that I have learned through the sharing of others, usually much more intelligent than me - which is great!
It’s also true that a lot of my time in the space is spent constantly filtering through a lot of… filler to find any information actually worth airtime in my head.
Whether it’s in the form of continuous scrolling on social media or being bombarded with yet another “You NEED this supplement” advertisement, our brains are constantly overloaded with copious amount of information to intake on a daily, hourly, minute-ly?, basis. 1 hour of consuming content a day - a practice I’m sure most of us are guilty of - adds up to 365 hours of wasted time a year. Maybe I really do have time to write that book I’ve been putting off…
I recently held a group workshop on creativity, spirituality, and recovery, at the Mind Body Spirit Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Despite members of the group varying in ages, life stages, and professions, our discussions kept coming back to one common theme – yes, we have the ability to know more now than we ever did before, but is it all really necessary?
While it’s natural to want to keep up with the Jones’, let’s set an intention to mentally cut back before entering this fall. Filtering is a technique I’m learning to utilize in my consumption of content, to make sure I’m squeezing the best juice out of life - and throwing away the pulp.
Filter #1 - Filter out meaningless, irrelevant, unhelpful opinions.
Cue your sister-in-law’s constant barrage about your relationship status, your coworkers’ comments on your tattoo, or the negative societal commentary regarding your interests, appearance, or even sexuality.
I admit – I tend to want everyone to like me. Ok, I want everyone to like me. I let the opinions and feelings of others hold too much weight in my orbit, even when under the surface their opinion doesn’t have much to do with me at all. Living in an era where our once-private lives are now on public display, we are conditioned to believe that every move we make is up for debate. When faced with an outside opinion that gives you that ‘icky’ feeling, ask yourself: is this opinion meaningful, helpful, or productive for me? If not, ctrl+alt+delete. Just because someone is close in proximity to you - either physically or in the deceptively intimate social media orbit - doesn’t make you a trash bin for everyone to store their energies in.
Filter #2 - Filter out meaningless, irrelevant, unhelpful information.
Why do you still follow 48 people from your graduating class that you couldn’t name 3 facts about? Why is your morning spent consuming news stories that always manages to destroy your once-positive outlook over life?
It’s hard to risk feeling ‘out of the loop,’ but trust me when I say the only ‘loop’ you're in is one of overwhelm and total TMI. You really don’t need to know what your ex-best friend's neighbors’ new girlfriend Suzie Q. is doing every single weekend with her new partner. These days I am selective with who I follow on social media, knowing that it drains me to see too much of too many people. I only use socials for promoting my business/creative endeavours, and I actually have the most energy-sucking apps deleted off of my phone. Take back some of the control that you still have over what you consume, and set barriers between yourself and your devices. I recommend that everyone do a simple audit of time and energy wasted everyday consuming. Time and energy that, once you take back, you can put towards what actually matters to you and the unique journey you are on. If it doesn’t make you happier, healthier, or hotter, cut it out.
Filter #3 - Filter out meaningless, irrelevant, unhelpful advice.
Take it from someone who took all the health advice at once as an impressionable teenager, and ended up developing a pretty gnarly eating disorder. While I love a good self-help podcast as much as the next brainwashed Gen Z, I have become pretty attuned to knowing when I'm filled to the brim with trends, tricks and hacks that are just making someone else money. Ensure there are credentials behind the pretty faces you are taking your health & wellness advice from. Sure, you can buy another $400 step, sleep and heart rate tracker, or continue to swallow a handful of mystery supplements that you can’t even pronounce. But it’s time we realize that in order to be well, you really only need a grasp over the basics: nourishing, whole foods, gentle movement, time for rest and mental/physical recovery. As I have learned through studying the simplistic habits & lifestyles of the 5 Blue Zones of the world, most of what North Americans think they need in order to be healthy & happy is just (expensive) noise.
Filter #4 – Filter out meaningless, irrelevant, unhelpful tasks.
As someone who spends a LOT of time in the personal development section of Indigo, Atomic Habits by James Clear is worth the buy if you find yourself restricted by a laundry list of bad habits you can’t entangle yourself from. Recently I’ve set out to break up with my phone, and these are some practices I’ve implemented that are buying me back more hours each week:
Non-negotiable time limits on each of my social media accounts.
Automatic DND notification hours in the evening and early morning.
Grayscale mode to eliminate the attractiveness of my screens.
Time blocking in ‘down-time’ to scroll, text, or listen to podcasts.
Deleting the distracting apps off of my phone, OR logging out and setting a new hard-to-remember password each time as an additional barrier to entry.
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Alas, we can’t always escape the world we live in, but we can better arm ourselves to exist within it. What are some filters you’ve consciously (or unconsciously!) applied to areas of your life that were bogging you down? How do you keep your sights on what genuinely matters in this era of excess? Share in the comments below - we could all use some more help!
UPCOMING YETNIAGARA EVENTS…
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Join us for a nurturing 6 week series designed to support you through pregnancy- body, mind, and heart. This collaborative series is co-hosted by Andrea from YETNiagara / Wellness Club Niagara and Andrea from Moms Niagara / Mama Bear Wellness.
Each session weaves together:
A guided prenatal yoga class to move with ease and connect with your changing body
Gentle journaling to reflect and tune into your inner wisdom
Time to connect with other mamas-to-be, building friendships and community
A guest presentation from a prenatal or postpartum expert, offering insight, resources, and space to ask your questions
This series is all about connection- helping you feel supported, empowered, and surrounded by a community of women who are blooming alongside you.
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An intimate evening retreat of Journaling, Yoga Nidra (Guided Sleep Meditation), Sound Healing and soothing Indie Head Massage.
Step into an evening of deep rest and gentle self-reflection in the serene Yoga Dome. This 3-hour gathering is designed to soothe your nervous system, calm your mind and invite you to reconnect with your inner stillness.
Through guided journaling, restorative yoga nidra, sound healing and the nurturing touch of an indie head massage, you will be held in a sanctuary of pause.
Whether you are seeking time to slow down, release daily tension or simply create space for yourself, this evening will leave you feeling nourished and renewed.
Includes: light refreshments and swag bag. Space is limited.
Register here: https://theyogadome.punchpass.com/classes/18208653