Overwhelmed by Media Madness?

Then Hit the Damn Mute Button

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Admit it—you’re drowning in noise. The headlines are screaming fear and division. Your social media feed is a nonstop carousel of outrage. Even casual conversations somehow morph into political gladiator matches.

Elon did this.

Trump said that.

Conservatives want this, liberals hate that.

It’s relentless. The urge to click, scroll, argue, and react feels like a compulsion, doesn’t it? The chaos seeps into your thoughts, your body, even your relationships. You’re edgy, distracted, and exhausted.

But let me tell you something. You don’t have to play this game. You can’t silence the world, but you can take control of your own energy. I’ve been there, caught in the vortex, and I’m here to tell you there’s a better way—a badass way.

The answer isn’t to fight the chaos but to flow with it. Taoism calls it wu wei: effortless action, or non-resistance. It’s about riding the storm, not battling it. But first, you’ve got to find your stillness.

And that stillness starts inside you.

Keep Your Qi Moving—or Pay the Price

Here’s the truth: When fear, anger, and stress take over the world around you, they invade your inner world too. Your qi—your life force energy—gets stuck.

In Chinese medicine, that stagnation doesn’t just make you feel “off.” It can mess with your body, your emotions, and your clarity.

Stuck qi? Well, that’s how illness, burnout, and mental fog take root.

So how do you keep your qi flowing?

For me, it’s qigong. Every morning, I get up, stand with my feet rooted into the ground, and let my body flow through simple movements.

Palms face the earth, arms rise slowly, and I imagine drawing energy up from the ground. It’s like plugging myself into the universe.

I’m centered. I’m calm. I’m alive.

But here’s the kicker: It doesn’t take hours. Five minutes of qigong can do more for you than an hour of doomscrolling ever will.

Be the Mountain

When the noise starts to creep in—the breaking news, the Substack rants, the person who just won’t stop talking politics—I meditate. There’s a Taoist practice where you visualize yourself as a mountain, solid and immovable, no matter how fierce the storm.

Close your eyes. Feel your breath. Picture your roots anchoring deep into the earth. Let the chaos swirl around you without touching your core.

It’s powerful. It’s grounding. It’s what keeps me sane when the world is losing its damn mind.

Ask Yourself: Does This Serve My Qi?

Let’s get real: Half the garbage you consume isn’t serving you. Do you really need to watch another news segment dissecting the latest scandal? Will another round of scrolling bring you clarity—or just more anxiety?

Here’s the hard truth: Most of it isn’t worth your energy. So ask yourself, Does this serve my qi? If it doesn’t, hit mute. Unfollow the accounts. Step away from the heated arguments. Turn off the TV.

This isn’t about burying your head in the sand. It’s about protecting your energy so you can show up where it truly matters.

Feed Your Body, Feed Your Mind

Chinese medicine is clear: What you consume—physically and mentally—affects your whole being. You can’t keep feeding your body junk and your mind chaos and expect to thrive.

During stressful times, I stick to grounding, nourishing foods: warm soups, stews, herbal teas. I avoid the sugar spikes and caffeine jitters. And I remind myself that what I feed my mind is just as important. Just as I wouldn’t eat fast food every day, I refuse to binge on mental garbage.

Stop Letting the Noise Own You

The fear-mongering, the division, the nonstop churn of uncertainty—it’s not going anywhere. But here’s the thing: You don’t have to let it own you. You don’t have to react to every provocation or get swept up in every storm.

You can step back. Breathe. Move. Let your qi flow.

In a world obsessed with chaos, your greatest act of rebellion is to stand still. To cultivate your inner power. To navigate the storm with grace instead of being consumed by it.

The media wants your attention. The chaos wants your energy. Don’t give it to them. Be the mountain. Let your qi flow freely. Protect your peace like your life depends on it—because it does.

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Much Love,

Diamond- Michael Scott — aka The Chocolate Taoist