The Protective Organ

In my Dilemmas of the Modern Self class earlier this week, we discussed the development of the “protective organ” aka. The ways in which we deal with the intense stimulation that surrounds us here in New York. When I think about coping mechanisms, my brain tends to default to the same few things that we’re often told. On one end of the coping spectrum there’s journaling, gyming, meditation-ing, and healthy eating. On the other end of the coping spectrum there’s drinking, smoking, partying and binging. The first half of these examples are structured around heavy regulation, and the latter circulate around chaos and anomie. But….what else is there? In New York are those our only two options? NO

I started thinking about other coping tools in my “protective organ” that aren’t in either of these boxes. Here’s what I came up with. 

1. The porch 

   1. I sit on my front porch every day with my friends and it’s nice for several reasons. It brings me peace because my street is pretty quiet, and it reminds me of my old fire escape. I like that its relaxing but also can be social sometimes. Some days my neighbor Tony comes outside and we chit chat and other times I play guitar with other neighbors. The other day I chatted with a nice woman about beauty products and once a little girl came up and blew bubbles in my face. My porch helps me think and its consistent but every time I sit out there I still feel like I experience something new. 

2. My roommates 

   1. My roommates help create a sense of stability and homeliness in NY. Spending my down time with them instead of scrolling on a phone helps declutter my mind and makes my days feel complete. Friends are family in college and the little things we do together- movies, making tea, putting the coffee on, and brushing our teeth together makes the house feel safe and cozy- a real home\

3. Crafts 

   1. Drawing, air dry clay, origami, crocheting you name it! I love doing crafts because there is no pressure to succeed or even finish the project. I think crafts are a good way of feeling busy and stimulated while not being sucked into the digital bright flashy world of tech. Crafts can be done in pairs, alone, inside or outside. They are rewarding and satisfying. 

4. Words 

   1. When NY moves too fast it can be hard to think- I’ve always defaulted to words as a protective organ. This doesn’t always mean journaling but try talking out loud sometime if you feel overstimulated