I am not sure at what point this thought popped up in my mind; maybe I was watching that episode of Zoo. You know the James Patterson remake on Netflix? Yes, I know its old; according to my husband Robert it took him over a year to make up his mind to watch it. But man, what a never-ending series of suspense. Anyway lets get back to the point… maybe it was while browsing YouTube. It could also be the varied/vast amount of “schools of thought” that I come across daily via social media.

I mean, the world is so opinionated and philosophical today. If you are unsure about somethings you may be drawn into everything; much like how I was drawn into the infinite possibilities of taking care of my natural tresses; until I became overwhelmed and returned to basics… my grandmother’s routine. A little regular hair oil and shampoo and conditioner does the job.

And so I ask, in the midst of the information age; and hearing that “Information is the new Success” what do we do? How do we stay authentic and true to who we are and what works for us; amidst everything that is available to us?

Here are 4 ways I believe we can save ourselves from the information overload and remain authentic and true.

1. Know yourself & the type of energy you need to flourish. There is something powerful about the human psyche and our ability to decipher truth, especially us women. We are armed with an innate knack to feel on an emotional level which is unlike our male counterpart. Is it to our detriment? Perhaps it is in a heated discussion. But, we can channel that ability into a powerful tool that helps us in knowing who can be in our space. Unwilling to hurt people’s feelings? Well, firm up sister because in this pretentious day and age, unnecessary energy is both emotionally draining and physically damaging. Be aware of the actions of others and know when it is time to walk away. It is your space, it is your energy…protect it!
2. Accept information like a grain of salt; do not rule anything out but do not absorb everything. Earlier I mentioned that information is the new success or so I have heard. In this information age I can see why some would say this. At the end of the day the differentiating factor might very well be what you know vs what I know. Don’t hold me to that, I’m guessing here, but think about it. As we browse the various channels that provide information whether credible or not we must be careful that we do not accept everything as gospel. We must takeaway what we need and leave the rest. Examine the validity and track record of the information; use that to help in deciding “do I really believe this or not”. Does it sit well with my ideals and goals? take what you need and “grow with it” and say no to everything else. No need for confusion, do your research.
3. Social media – take time away.-This is an absolute must. There has to be time away from the noise in order to stay true to who you are. Take time away to hear your own voice, your truth. It is easy for our thoughts to become buried by the many other thoughts that are expressed (external of us) again and again. Liken it to vision boarding; when we see our vision boards daily automatically we move forward in turning our visions into reality. Well, hearing, reading or seeing the same things (external of us) repeatedly works in the same manner; and can easily become our truth. So we absolutely must shut out the noise periodically to remain true to our voice and what we know about us.
4. Decide what is important and do that – list 5 things that are a must do each day. Remember the things that make your heart sing and include them on your list. Our routine keeps us grounded; whether it’s meditation, listening to inspirational music on the way to work, going to the gym or meeting up with girlfriends. Whatever it is – identify 5 that are an absolute must for you to perform each day and stick to them irrespective of what your day looks like. That surely is a number one way of remaining true to yourself.

After reading this I hope you get the drift and have your own ideas of how you can remain authentic amidst great noise. It can be extremely difficult to be who you are and stay true to who you are but not impossible. One thing we must remember (and use ourselves as an example) is that we tend to put the best of ourselves in the public’s eye. So please do not believe everything you read or see. Perception is a helluva thing and smart people understand this and allow that to be a part of seeing and hearing.

The noise of information overload and the nuances of people should be managed. See and hear but also sift and absorb. You will stay authentic to you when you do this!