I’ve had numerous conversations about the state of our country and our world in the last few months. People have become distraught, nervous about their finances, and fearful for their lives and the safety of their children. I don’t blame them. I’ve grappled with the same constellation of feelings. Here are some of the things that I’ve personally done over the last few months that have helped me immensely and hopefully they will resonate with you as well.
- Limit your exposure to the news. I advocate watching it to be informed, but after the first round of updates, shut it off.
- Start a journal of all the things you are grateful for in your life. Update this list daily and read it before you go to bed and then again upon arising. When we are in the thick of despair, it may be tough to find things to be grateful for. I started with being thankful for my warm animals, my cute little condo in Colorado, etc. You’ll get the hang of it!
- Meditate! Don’t think it’s for you? I’m here to tell you that you’re full of crap and it’s for everyone! Download the Headspace app to your phone. They offer a free trial with meditations that only last about 10 minutes. Once you’re hooked, you can either purchase additional meditations or go to YouTube and search for guided meditation. There are a million on there. I personally like to meditate with the angels, so I’ll search for something along those lines. You will be amazed at how calm and better equipped you are in managing the stress in your lives with daily meditation.
- Find some way to be compassionate toward others. Share your smile, a kind word, or a compliment to all you come in contact with during the day. You never know when someone is going through a tough time. It might be just the pick-me-up they needed!
- Dance and Sing. Yup. You heard that right. Get down and boogie! Crank up the tunes and make your living room a dance floor for at least 15 minutes. In addition, sing. If you’re multi-talented, you can do both at the same time! If not, crank up the tunes in the car and sing your little heart out. No one is going to hear you and who cares if you can’t sing. You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel!
- Pray. I’m here to tell you that collective prayer can elicit HUGE changes. There’s actually a book by Lynne McTaggart called “The Power of Eight.” It’s worth a read and speaks volumes to healing and changing the world with prayer.
- Get out in nature. This can even be considered a moving meditation or prayer. Even if it’s cold, bundle up and get out there! Kick around the snow and have some fun. Make snow angels!
You cannot change what’s happening with our country overnight, but you CAN change your response to it. Work within your own circle throughout the day. Show kindness and compassion to those at work, in the grocery line, in yoga class, at the gym, and for goodness sake, dump the road rage and let someone merge into your lane! Do you get the gist? And always remember, if you’re struggling, you have a coach right here that can help you make the changes necessary for a wonderful life of joy! Until next time, peeps. Peace to your hearts!
Fran Winslow 