I want to explain a wonderful concept called "group instruction" that has changed my life. (Thread)
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As a human, we receive many messages from media, educators, advice-givers, the news... We are often told we should be doing something. It could be eating healthily, giving our relationships quality time, doing regular car maintenance, whatever.
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These messages are for the general public (or large group) and don't account for your starting point or baseline. They are what my best friend termed a "group instruction."
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Group instructions are aimed at the basics. They are for the person who doesn't know too much or hasn't tried it yet or isn't doing the behaviour at all. By assuming you don't know much, group instructions make sure everyone has the basic info. It's not personalized.
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An example: take the old 8 glasses of water a day recommendation. Group instruction. This is the same info given for all people, spanning those who eat tons of fresh food daily to those who live off rye crackers and dry ramen. Not everyone is at the same baseline.
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So the dehydrated desert-bodied person definitely needs to be drinking a full 8 glasses a day, for real. The person who eats fresh veggies, drinks milk, and eats soup needs less. Wildly different hydration baselines.
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Enter the perfectionist. They hear this instruction and think "oh my goodness, I definitely need to drink MORE water, because I'm failing to reach 8 glasses a day!" But, wait up. DO THEY? What are they already doing? Slurping applesauce and drinking tea and eating cucumbers?
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They are probably already getting enough hydration and that group instruction is causing unnecessary stress on that poor, anxious, well-hydrated perfectionist. They are already a lush rainforest on the inside. Job done.
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The health and wellness sector is all about the group instructions. You know what other community is just riddled with them? Pretty much anything directed at parents. Spend quality time with your kids! Limit screen time! Breast is best! Read to them every day!
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Group instructions are coming at us 24hrs/day from media and are often contradictory. This is stressful garbage. Especially for those of us who tend towards overthinking, choice paralysis, and anxiety.
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But #TheMoreYouKnow, right? Now you can spot those pesky group instructions and think: what am I *already* doing in this area? Is it enough? (Spoiler: probably is!) Can I let this information go without actioning it? (Probably yes).
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Now when I find myself wringing my hands about the latest news or advice, I try to remind myself that it's a group instruction and really think: is this a judgement on what I'm currently doing, or is this aimed at others? I tell you, it's almost always the latter.
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So go forth and relax, for you are enough. You are already doing enough. And if you realize that you really do need a reckoning about your behaviour, find what you need to make that happen. But don't take on every group instruction you come across. They're not all for you.
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