Imagine you're walking through a city. All around you, there are giant magnets (these are the pendulums) trying to pull you in different directions. Some magnets are powered by fear - like news headlines about economic crashes. Others run on anger - like social media arguments. And some feed on guilt - like advertisements making you feel bad about yourself.
Most people are like metal objects, getting pulled from one magnet to another, reacting emotionally to everything. They get angry at the news, anxious about social media posts, and guilty about not living up to society's expectations.
But here's the secret: You can choose to be like wood instead of metal. Wood doesn't react to magnets. When you practice detachment, you're essentially turning yourself into wood. You see the magnets (pendulums), acknowledge they're there, but simply say "oh okay" and continue on your path.
The exercises below will help you identify these pendulums in your daily life and practice the art of detachment - your superpower for staying focused on your own goals rather than getting caught up in society's negative energy traps.
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For the next today, keep a detailed journal of moments when you notice negative pendulums trying to affect you. Write down:
| The situation | The emotion(s) | How you reacted | How you (could’ve) detached |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saw an old game of mine was still installed | Excitement, angst | I didn’t play the game and scrolled away. | I could’ve deleted it way back. |
| social media | anger, envy | I got upset. | Not spent so much time thinking about it and moved on. |
| conversations | annoyance, anger, frustration | Tried to ignore it and walked away from the conversation. | Not let it effect me and ignored the comments. |
| webinar | jealousy, envy, frustration | Got upset and tried to ignore it | Faced the emotion and decided to ignore it. |
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For 24 hours, document every piece of media / social media you consume and analyze:
| The post / media | What emotion(s) | What actions are they trying to do you |
|---|---|---|
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
I’ve made it to a point where I don’t get negative posts on my social media at all. I perfected my algorithm for my sense of humor, work and motivation.
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Choose three typically triggering situations in your daily life. Practice these responses:
Write the scenario where you are going to practice your detachment:
Write the scenario where you are going to practice your detachment:
Write the scenario where you are going to practice your detachment: