A Chi for Two® Perspective on How the Attention from Social Media Posts Can Rob Us of the Magic of the Moment & Ways to Restore that Magic

I remember learning about the “hedonic treadmill” in college. The idea behind the “hedonic treadmill” is ultimately we return to our baseline general feeling after positive or negative life events. However, if you ponder about the way we spend much of our precious time and resources you realize how much it seems like “if only” we had…. Or were lived in…. or were in a relationship with…. person we would be happy. But all of those “if only” situations are dopamine driven like psychoactive substances. Turns out engaging in activities that release serotonin, and oxytocin promote overall wellbeing that can feel like it’s truly enough. What kind of activities can increase oxytocin and serotonin? Individual experiences of creation like writing, painting, singing, knitting, gardening, walking in nature…. And communal experiences like drum circles, dancing, chanting, and cooking can induce these feel-good neuromodulators. However, recording these types of activities for the purpose of posting on social media often dampens the medicinal effect of them. For example, if one is used to recording themselves dancing and gets a lot of adoration from their posts, they may lose their desire to dance just for themselves or with their friends.

Chi for Two® Embodiment Coaches can provide the “Watch Circle of Support” which symbolizes the developmental period of exploration within the space of a parent’s gaze. However, many of us did not experience enough “feeling seen or heard” when we were young in part due to the stress of parenting and lack of collective support for parents. The “look at me, look what I can do mommy” can be met by the Embodiment Coach in session. As sessions progress through practice clients can sense their own “Watch Circle of Support” which can feel like imagining an audience but feeling satisfied seeing what you can do on your own. That solo experience of painting or communal experience of cooking feels like enough even without the attention of hundreds, thousands, or millions, through a single camera.