This post is a personal guide designed to create a more compassionate and peaceful inner world. It’s a set of rules for a simpler, less stimulating life, built around your specific needs for emotional safety and healing.
Conscious Consumption: A Filter for Your Mind
The information you consume daily has a direct impact on your mental state. This section focuses on creating a healthier media diet by being intentional about what you listen to and watch.
- Listen with Intention. Podcasts can be a great resource, but not all content is created equal. Tune into voices that are a source of calm, wisdom, and a broad perspective.
- Listen to: Joe Rogan (non-political podcasts only), Jordan Peterson (non-political lectures only), Sadhguru, or Osho.
- Avoid: Podcasts that promote hustle culture, finance, or entrepreneurship.
- Watch for Peace. Choose content that is apolitical and low-stress. The goal is to escape into a safe, engaging world, not to seek out stimulation or controversy.
- Explore: ZaccStottgames for a reliable source of apolitical, safe content.
- Be Mindful of: Asmongold. Stick strictly to his gameplay videos and avoid any content that is political or controversial.
- Let Go of the Noise. Cut down on content that is designed to be highly stimulating but offers little substance. These videos can wire your brain for constant stimulation, making it harder to relax.
- Stop Watching: Highly edited videos like speedruns, game glitches, movie/TV show reviews, and other low-quality, high-stimulation content.
Building a Safer Social Sphere
Your online and offline interactions have a profound impact on your sense of safety. These rules are designed to protect your emotional energy by reducing unnecessary social friction.
- Political Boundaries. Politics is often a source of frustration and anger. Protect your peace by disengaging from it entirely.
- Completely avoid: All political content and discussions.
- Curate Your Social Circle. The goal isn’t to isolate yourself, but to connect with people in a way that feels safe and comfortable.
- Limit your forums: Use online forums only for mental health and depression support, and avoid other communities like Reddit.
- Focus on close connections: Restrict your chat to your existing Discord friends and avoid joining new Discord servers.
- Protect Your Emotional Core. Be mindful of what you share and to whom you share it. Your personal wounds are not fodder for debate.
- Avoid: Debating with others or engaging in confrontations.
- Be private: Stop revealing sensitive information to people who might invalidate or minimize your feelings.
Mindful Movement and Self-Compassion
The way you move and care for your body should be a source of comfort, not another obligation or a way to escape.
- Rethink Your Walks. While exercise is healthy, walking for 3km while listening to music can sometimes be a way to avoid feelings of boredom or depression. Reframe your movement to be more intentional.
- Shift your focus: When you feel the need to move, try doing simple exercises like squats, push-ups, or sit-ups.
- Prioritize Soothing Activities. When you feel depressed or bored, lean into activities that are naturally calming and self-pacifying.
- Turn inward: Try drawing or coloring to engage in a low-concentration, relaxing activity.
- Embrace Your Inner World. Your creative and academic pursuits should feel like a source of joy and purpose, not pressure.
- Small, consistent steps: Work on your novel and Master’s thesis in small, manageable tasks each day. The goal is progress, not perfection.
Lifestyle Adjustments for a Quieter Mind
Small, daily habits can either increase or decrease your sense of peace. These are simple adjustments to your routine that can make a big difference.
- Minimize Noise. Reduce constant stimulation from your environment.
- Turn it down: Cut back on music, TV, and other sources of constant noise.
- Seek silence: Consider listening to ASMR at night to relax and unwind.
- Be Mindful of Substances. Pay attention to how certain foods and drinks impact your mood and energy.
- Reduce: Junk food, beer, and especially coffee (aim to reduce your intake to zero).
- Rethink soup: Avoid having soup for lunch or dinner to ensure you consume enough calories to prevent cravings.
- Find Your Philosophical Voice. Writing can be cathartic, but it should not become another source of frustration.
- Write with intention: Focus on “poetic”, sad philosophy that is more abstract and less angry.
- Use AI as a Tool. Use AI as a way to check in on your mental state and organize your life goals, not for rehashing past emotional pain.
Further Suggestions
This list is a fantastic start, but as you continue your journey, here are a few other suggestions you could consider for your blog post to promote emotional safety.
- Adopt a Pet. The unconditional love and simple companionship of a pet can provide immense emotional safety. Caring for a dog or a cat can create a routine and a sense of purpose outside of yourself, while also providing a non-judgmental presence.
- Explore Nature without a Goal. Instead of a 3km walk, try a different kind of outdoor activity. Go to a park and just sit on a bench, observing the trees or the sky. Go to a quiet nature trail and simply exist in the space without the pressure of a workout or a specific distance. This allows you to connect with a peaceful, natural environment without an agenda.
- Embrace “Useless” Hobbies. Find an activity that has no grand purpose other than to bring you joy. This could be collecting something, tending to a small garden, or building model kits. The goal is to do something just for the sake of doing it, free from the pressure of productivity or self-improvement.