Politics don’t exist….

Neither do laws…..

I’m sorry, but neither does Religion.

Fortunately, this also means that your worries, anxiety, or stress don’t exist either. And Naval Ravikant can prove it.

In his conversation with Tim Ferriss, the topic of politics came up, and he said (paraphrase) “Politics don’t exist. Does a tree know who is president?”

He was speaking of getting off the grid and out into nature. However, it does have another WAY MORE INTERESTING context.

Wrap your brain around this one: If a tree or a wild animal doesn’t know something exits – it doesn’t exist in the real world.

Think about this one for a minute. A tree doesn’t know anything about who-got-how-many-electoral-college votes. It doesn’t matter. The result of it could matter to trees, but the stress of the political process does not. Because it’s made up in our minds.

All other things are just social or mental constructs.   They are “common realities” that we have chosen to accept as true in society.  Or, more dangerously, in our own heads.  We arbitrarily decide “this = that (bad thing).”

This “does a tree know it’s real?” rule is also very empowering.

Anxiety doesn’t exist in the real world. You could be stressed as hell 20 ft from an Elk grazing in a meadow – and it won’t care. It won’t give one shit. However, if you throw your airpod case at it – the Elk will run.

Because the airpod case exists – your anxiety does not. Your anxiety only exists in your head. YOUR anxiety doesn’t exist in my head. Therefore – technically – it doesn’t exist.

The chair you are sitting on exists. Whether you choose to believe it or not, when you walk across the room and hit it – it’s there and you will feel it. No matter what you choose to be thinking about at the time.

This becomes very cool in that it provides a good “rule of thumb” for taking power of your life. A measuring stick for empowerment. If you are experiencing a problem in your life, ask yourself “Would a tree or a wild animal know this is real.”

A chainsaw is real and a tree would know it. Not liking the new manager at work would not impact the tree.

So it’s under your control!   Or at least somewhat under your control.

Maybe not the fact that there is a new manager that you don’t like. However, your reaction to the manager IS under your control.

You can work to get along with them. You can find common ground. You can build a positive work relationship. You could train yourself to not let them bug you. You can decide to leave.

If a cougar gets cancer, it will die. Cancer is real. COVID resulted in the death of thousands of European mink. Hate to tell ya – COVID real.

The stress over COVID is not. YOU get to choose your level of stress over COVID. You can spend your day watching the news and stressing out over every headline. Can blame the us or the them. Or you can use it as a time to stay home and learn and improve. Start a business.

Reconnect with your partner or children.

Of course this is filed under the category of “easier said than done.” Though it’s also filed under “better done some than done never.”

So the next time you encounter a problem in your life, ask “Would a Cougar know this is real”? #1 – it’s a helluva state break to reset your brain but also #2- it also means you have the power. You have both the power to change the situation AND the power to change your reaction to it. Which – if you think about it – is pretty much all of the power.