In search of a distraction

Photo by Sara Kurfeß on Unsplash

I have an exam in two days, and am behind many of my tasks in terms of my UPSC aspiration, which I am going to attend for the first time in 2025 (next year). And also I am going back to Al Jamia Al Islamiya for my final year this week. All this is giving me stress and anxiety. I don't understand what to do, and I found myself constantly trying to search for something which will distract me from all this.

I am always in search of a distraction from all this anxiety and stress. I use Instagram reels, YouTube videos and especially political ones (as the Lok Sabha is in session), movies etc. to keep my mind away from reality.

If anything I've learned from my childhood classes where there was a subject of 'life lessons' taught to us (which included many moral and ethical lessons and other problem-solving skills) It was that the first step towards problem solving is recognizing the problem. and so far in my life whenever I felt like I have something which needs to be solved, I try to understand it first in its full and then alhamdulillah I find solutions for them.

So, in sha allah all I have to do now after recognizing that my time being spent on Instagram and other social media is in fact just my search for a distraction from what I face in terms of anxiety, is to find a solution to cope up with my issues and courage to face realities without looking out for distraction.

The solution of course starts with recognizing how you are feeling when you think you need distraction. This Feelings Wheel helped me a lot in doing so.