The Combination Effect

*zap*

WKR
Joined
Dec 20, 2018
Messages
7,032
Location
N/E Kansas
The sum of all that has been going on the last 12 months is taking a toll on me. Anyone else experiencing this?

No Politics, please.
 

ODB

WKR
Joined
Mar 24, 2016
Messages
3,734
Location
N.F.D.
Yup. And there is a faction of fanatics that know that are are using it to their advantage.

I worry most about my kid. School is relegated to staring at a screen. It’s dehumanizing. In stark contradiction to try to get human contact we are forced to rely more on our phones and technology. That’s very, very bad.

I have friends who live in Kenya and are able to go about their lives almost as normal because of where they live in country. I’m embarrassed to say I’m jealous of that.
 
Joined
Aug 28, 2017
Messages
514
It's easy to have that happen, especially with social media. Not sure if you have it, but if so log off for awhile or delete it. I'm sure glad I did.
 

zacattack

WKR
Joined
Aug 23, 2018
Messages
1,332
Location
Michigan
The sum of all that has been going on the last 12 months is taking a toll on me. Anyone else experiencing this?

No Politics, please.
I’ve been suffering from tension headaches since August. Pretty tired of this shit.
 
Joined
Jan 10, 2016
Messages
578
Yes!

Try as hard as you can to avoid watching the news or listening to talk radio. You will be a lot happier. I am trying but its really hard to not pay attention. I try but keep getting sucked back in. The days I avoid it I am in a way better mood. Then I start listening/watching again, all my muscles tense up, the headaches start from just thinking about all the absolute insanity.

Also for the rest of the day every time someone asks you how you are doing, tell them EXCELLENT! When your saying that, its hard not to smile. You won't be able to run around all day smiling and telling people how great you are doing without feeling better!

Even if your having the worst day of your life, you will start feeling better. It is also contagious. The other people will also start feeling better.

There is a TON of stuff we have zero control of, our own attitude is one thing we can control. It sounds stupid, but you really can create your own happiness.

Treat life like a day out hunting. We're not out filling tags each day were out there. I have elk hunted 20 days, and finally had my opportunity present itself on the last evening of the last day of the season. Out of all those hours trying nothing went my way. Then finally at the last moment I had success. Each time something went wrong, I would just tell my self I'm one step closer to a win. If I didn't stay positive, I wouldn't have been there the last evening of the last day. In a split second I went from having one of the tuffest elk seasons ever, to one of the best!
 

manitou1

WKR
Joined
Mar 29, 2017
Messages
1,719
Location
Wyoming
I don't get it... really. It has not changed our lives much at all. We are outdoors enthusiasts and still do all we want outdoors. We still go shopping, still get groceries, and still get together with family.
We don't frequent bars, so no effect there.
I suppose if somebody lived in a city with severely restrictive ordinances it may be different. Not much has changed for us. I think a lot of this is in people's heads.
I don't watch mainstream news either... or use facebook, twitter, etc. whatever they are.
Perception is 90% of attitude.
 

rclouse79

WKR
Joined
Dec 10, 2019
Messages
1,726
I have gone through several cycles where I have gotten sucked into the news and negativity. It definitely takes a physical and mental toll after a while. I have been trying to find distractions and focus my energy on things I can control for my own sanity. My current medicine has been ice fishing. I will be due for a booster shot of turkey and bear hunting come April.
 
Joined
Apr 8, 2019
Messages
1,780
I defer to Mr. Prime a lot these days...and Jack Daniels

Blow up your TV
Throw away your paper
Go to the county
Build you home
Plant a little garden
Eat a lot peaches.....

Seriously I turned off all corp news right before the Holidays...couldn't be happier and the world hasn't ended.
Hate Inc...read it.
 

CorbLand

WKR
Joined
Mar 16, 2016
Messages
6,556
I feel the same way at times but overall my life has gotten better through all of this. Both my wife and I got better jobs, we are going on a vacation for the first time in 2 years, I got new binoculars, etc.

Best thing I did was turn off the news, deleted Facebook and only follow hunting pages on Instagram. I am so out of the loop that I get 90% of my information from staff meetings at work.

My stress right now has come from just general life decisions but I will add that the uncertainty with COVID and its affects arent helping. Like should I buy a house?
 
Last edited:
OP
*zap*

*zap*

WKR
Joined
Dec 20, 2018
Messages
7,032
Location
N/E Kansas
The situations are one thing but what worries me most is societal trends. I quit TV in 2007 so I do not watch any news shows.....no social media but I try and stay aware of what is actually happening.
 

Brillo

FNG
Joined
Feb 8, 2021
Messages
75
Location
West Michigan
There are three issues that have affected me: 1) Emergency surgery last Nov and a related blood clot that I am still dealing with; 2) Political corruption; 3) Covid. I am trying to live above the circumstances while still being aware of the challenges.. UGH! Still, there are some positives that are coming out of these disasters.
I have basketball (Big Ten) to follow and have started reading more...discovered C.J. Box. I also just retired but that is still sinking in. Plus, I am using the goal of elk hunting to spur physical recovery.
Hang on everyone.
 
Joined
Feb 3, 2014
Messages
1,552
Location
Boundary Co. Idaho
100%.....my "profession" and employment is on the news 24/7 and politics directly impact my "job". My career and doing what I see is "Right" and my hunting/shooting are my two life Passions. Both are seemingly impacted or debated (in a non positive manners) all day...every day. Very difficult to turn it Off mentally.

Seeing many of the big cities and shitty states' populations fleeing and descending on the little towns in the West like mine.....is quite frustrating.

I've had more conversations over that past year with people I simply cannot wrap my head around their mindset or line of thinking. AT ALL. No middle ground. Robs me of sleep.
 

thinhorn_AK

"DADDY"
Joined
Jul 2, 2016
Messages
10,341
Location
Alaska
yes.

I was just having this conversation with a friend yesterday afternoon, both of us have heavy decisions to make and lots of responsibilities in both our personal and professional lives and changes coming down the pike at work that may make it more difficult to do our hunting next year. Both of us feel torn between quitting and being loyal to management who has been very good to us, both of us are thinking of uprooting the families but we both have ties that are hard to cut and obligations that make the decisions even more difficult.

The lockdowns, attacks on freedom and the short northern winter days certainly don't help.
 
Joined
Feb 21, 2017
Messages
1,794
Location
Colorado
I sometimes have days that I am really affected. I have moments of walking through a store or down the street and everyone is wearing masks, and I don't recognize our country any more. We don't smile at one another any more and if we do, it is hidden by a mask.

Most of the time when I felt down, I would just go to the range, or tinker with a different gun. The past year has seen my local range shut down for several months, and ammo and components have been nearly impossible to find.

Exercise helps, but even that is weird now. I think that we are on the verge of the beginning of a severe mental health crisis in our nation.
 
Top