MUMBAI, Feb. 3 -- The digital information overload we are surrounded by shapes how we dress, live, and what we choose to buy or avoid. Social media also shapes how we think, what we pay attention to and what gets ignored. As a therapist, I have often observed that much content on social media presents therapy and human behaviour in simplified, definitive terms with clear bite size insights followed by strong perspectives. In effect, what is deeply complex and layered is often packaged as quick truths, leaving little space for ambiguity or individual context, and no space for nuance. Content across topics - how to save money, what to do in your 40s, how much protein to have and the aim for longevity -- gets labelled as right or wrong, where definitive takes and simplified steps leave little space for exploration or personalization based on one's own circumstances. As we navigate our life with this digital overload, we find ourselves at a point where we are constantly looking for answers online, trying to find what's right. This process is not just confusing, overwhelming people but also impacting people's sense of judgement. It is a juxtaposition of the fact that our insights are actually shaped by interacting and engaging with life, people and gathering evidence. Now whether it's social media or AI -- both have taken the form of a heuristic or cognitive shortcut that is coming in the way of our gut instinct, our lived experiences and decisions that need to be taken based on our personal context. Today, people are constantly gathering more information on the internet to make 'good choices', which is leaving them with more data points and less confidence; more confusion and loneliness. I often wonder how we've moved from listening to a single inner critical voice to navigating thousands of external voices online, all defining what's right, what's wrong, and how we should optimize every possible moment. As an Elder millennial and someone in their mid-40s, most of life's insights, pattern recognition and choices came from participating in life and then figuring things out. As a result, there was joy in exploration, discovery and finding one's way into a career, friendships and even ageing. Adulting got better because we found our own truths, and as we grew older, we developed the maturity to accept and acknowledge these truths. There was a beauty in not knowing much, becoming lost (both metaphorically and literally) and finding oneself stuck because in those moments we realized what really mattered. This degree of active engagement made the process of living fun and allowed our confidence to grow. While I'm glad that we have GPS now, I do know that on so many occasions a simple act of asking for directions has opened conversations and a chance at experiencing stranger love and good intentions. Adulting lies in the recognition that by being passive and navigating a virtual world we can't experience life. We come to understand ourselves and the world by putting ourselves out there, taking calculated risks, and trusting our instincts as we try to make sense of life. Our wisdom doesn't come from watching content or blindly following advice offered online. Sam Wineburg, an American educational and cognitive psychologist, talked about the concept of 'critical ignoring' which refers to how we mindfully need to ignore content online which is manipulative, unreliable and not based on research. Our life is made worthwhile by our openness, curiosity and ability to touch and impact each other's lives by small acts. It would do well to remember this when we find ourselves in the midst of making the most 'optimal, well researched decision'. Ultimately isn't adulting about our capacity to discern what we pay attention to and what we don't online?...