The more I try to control my life, the more difficult it becomes.

I’ve noticed this especially at work since starting my new job. In my anxiety to succeed and my fear of making mistakes, I pushed myself too hard, tightening my grip until it all felt heavy and unmanageable.

But in the past few days, I’ve started to let go. I’m still giving my best, but now it feels less like I’m fighting the current and more like I’m moving with it.

The lesson isn’t that effort is the enemy. Energy and focus are vital. The real problem comes when that energy is driven by fear, when it hardens into an obsessive need to control outcomes. That’s when effort becomes resistance rather than flow.

**

Social media and mass media carry immense power.

Of course, there are real geopolitical challenges in the world today, but I’ve noticed that when I stay with my practice, I can see more clearly how easily media hijacks my mind.

One triggering headline, one sensationalized post, and suddenly I’m pulled into a spiral of fear and pessimism. The story may not even reflect reality, but the emotional reaction feels real enough.

This is why mindful media consumption isn’t optional anymore for me. It’s essential. We need to recognize how these forces shape our perceptions and choose, with awareness, how much power we give them.