It's a Mood

Hello and welcome to over 50 new subscribers to Overconsumed!

Unfortunately, this has been a time of several tragic current events that cast a shadow on the present. Ironically, the topic I wanted to discuss this week was around: moods.

Everyone in history, including today, thinks they are going through unprecedented times. Whether it’s revolution in the form of war, art, or industry. Sometimes it leads to collective optimism, or sometimes the opposite.

It’s what sociologist Heinz Bude refers to as “The Mood of the World” and it’s a palpable energy. That energy, in turn, drives those same larger societal factors.

…and on and on, in one large vicious cycle…

In the same way our moods change from day to day, hour to hour, so do the moods of the world around us. We can pout about it, press things that shouldn’t be pressed, or recognize our bad moods and whether the storm.

And when it’s starting to feel like sunshine again, chances are it feels that way for others around us too…

Of course we never know.

We never really know anything about anyone’s life. We have moments where we connect briefly with others by looking into their eyes, by a polite gesture in public, saying hello in an elevator, etc…

Then, suddenly a flash! We are overwhelmed with emotion as we begin to piece together the puzzle of their complicated and nuanced lives.

By definition, it is called a “Sonder” and it’s a beautiful, heartbreaking concept.

It's time to change the conversation.

We should have more open and honest dialogue with people we love, not just with our Uber drivers or therapists.

But perhaps, more than anybody, the conversation we need to have is with ourselves. The hardest convo of all.

Mother Theresa once said: "If everyone would only clean their own doorstep, the whole world would be clean."

It's the same thought as being on an airplane and the safety warnings ask us to put on our own oxygen masks before we attempt to help others.

When it comes to moods, we are all dealing with A LOT on our own. It's important to practice self-help too. Then, let it reverberate to others.

This is the way towards a better world. We need to make sure we are adding positivity, not neglect or negativity. Having meaningful conversations, not emotional ones.

Then, we can begin to contribute to a greater cause.

TLDR: Mood swings are real. Ride them like a wave.

-EKS