Kylen O. Lefave reflects on how to deal with the stress of living in such uncertain times, and how to turn our fears and anxieties into a positive force for the common good.
Given the headlines of late, I am sure it comes as no surprise to hear people say that we are now living in a time of tremendous uncertainty. With civil unrest and uprisings, economic crisis, climate change and increasing natural disasters happening around the globe over the past few months, it seems that now more than ever we are being reminded of how fragile and precious life is.
It can definitely be all consuming to be bombarded with constant newscasts of such intense and tragic events. And if you happen to be a news junkie watching 24-hour news networks, I can only imagine it would be extremely difficult to feel good about the state of the world and life in general.
However challenging it may be, it is in times such as these that we must individually and collectively find ways to become more positive within ourselves so as to not feed and perpetuate more negative energy into the world.
How we choose to respond to negative, unfortunate circumstances can create a massive shift in our overall quality of life. Rather than allow ourselves to fall victim to our fears and to make ourselves physically ill by internalizing the stress that accompanies such devastating events, we can choose to use this stress as an opportunity to make a conscious effort to fully appreciate and cherish every moment we have. This is a wake-up call, if you will: a lesson in learning how to live in the moment and enjoy the simple things in life.
I’m not suggesting we put our heads in the sand and pretend that everything is hunky dory in the world because, truth be told, it clearly is not. However, what we can do is be informed and prepared, and make choices based on what is realistically within our realm of control.
As humans, too many of us have adopted the unfortunate and counter-productive tendency to stress about things over which we have absolutely no control.
Within the “Serenity Prayer” are some of the most powerful words of wisdom to apply to our lives. These words are definitely very appropriate in these times of uncertainty…
“Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
Being informed about global events is important as long as we do not allow ourselves to be negatively affected and consumed by these events and making ourselves ill with stress creating.
This stress is a breeding ground for fear, anxiety, helplessness and apathy. Limiting our exposure to mainstream media can drastically reduce ones tendency to be bogged down by such dreariness. Being selective of which news sources we watch, and avoiding those that sensationalize and perpetuate constant negative energy, also does wonders.
It is important to remember that despite all of the negative events that occur around the globe, there are countless wonderful things happening as well. The news just chooses not to report them.
It’s important to find balance in what we consciously choose to watch, read and think about by making sure to include lots of humourous, positive and “feel good” stories. This can make a world of difference to our collective psyches.
Positive stories can serve as a reminder of the beauty that surrounds us and the importance of acknowledging and embracing it in order to cultivate feelings of love and positivity rather than focusing our energy on the pockets of chaos that seemingly plague the media.
As for alleviating the stress, the only thing truly within our control is to be as prepared for them as much as we possibly can. Stressing about whether or not these disasters and tragedies may or may not happen, and when, is emotionally draining, not to mention a complete waste of energy. Being prepared is an important way that we can empower ourselves to be in a much better position to focus on living and enjoying our lives now.
We cannot predict the future of things to come; however, we can certainly do what is within our power to create a better future. Our time is too precious to waste with needless conflict, worry and strife.
Let’s be grateful for all the little things. Let’s fully and completely appreciate the people in our lives, make amends where amends need to be made and express love, kindness and compassion to others, whether they be family, friend, stranger or even foe.
Let’s connect on the simple common ground that we are all, each and every one of us, living our “Life as a Human”. We all breathe the same air and look out into the same magical Universe. We all share our lives and dreams on this beautiful and amazing planet. This is our global community and we all call it…Home.
So let’s work together to make this world a better, happier place, despite what the headlines say about the uncertainty of our circumstances. But before we can truly create any significant shifts towards reaching that destination, we must first remember that the journey begins within our own hearts (for more on this topic read my Life As A Human article “World Peace Begins With Inner Peace“).
Let’s do whatever is within our own personal power now to cultivate inner peace, well being and happiness on an unshakable core level and create a ripple effect that reaches out from one heart to another until we infect the entire globe with the power of altruistic love, releasing the grip of crippling fear.
Namasté
Photo Credit
“Tenderness” Alice Popkorn
We are bombarded daily with 24-7 news much of it is not pleasant. We are in control of how we live. I try to be positive because if I dwell I find my energy is low and my mood disturbs others. There is so much to enjoy if we look around. I choose to be happy. I am aware of what is happening but those things I cannot control I don’t let control me. Really enjoyed reading this.
happy you enjoyed it…thx Annie 🙂
How do we turn the challenges the world has for those around us into solutions that benefit all?