I often remind myself of the Buddhist words:
“When you can’t calm the storm,
calm yourself
and wait for the storm to pass”
Many of us these days can be anxious about what’s going on in the world,
and reading the news or looking at social media seems to trigger our fears
and worries more than ever.
But we feel we can’t just bury our heads in sand.
So how do we stay informed but not get crushed with anxiety and overwhelm
from current events?
There aren’t any easy answers,
but here are a few ideas we can share with each other
and remind each other of these points.
1. LIMIT: Maybe limit checking news to twice a day, on two different sites
And limit the checks to 10 to 15 minutes each time.
2. WAIT: Don’t get caught up in reacting instantly.
Wait a day before sharing or reacting. Let yourself process it,
let the anxiety die down and breathe.
3. FOCUS: Keep yourself focused on what you can control.
What action can you take in your local community?
Can you get involved with a national campaign?
Are there conversations you can have with people
that will help the situation? If not,
then focus on the actions you can take,
and don’t take on the responsibility of having to fix everything
or worry about everything in the world.
4. NOTICE: practice noticing when you’r feeling anxiety
or overwhelm or frustration, and notice how it feels in your body,
in your mind, heart, gut!
Focus on the sensation, and let it be OK that you’re feeling things,
without adding extra fuel to the fire.
5. BREATHE: Sone slow, deep breaths can really help calm you.
6. BALANCE: with walking, nature, something beautiful every day
(Adapted with thanks from Leo Babauta, Zen Habits)
For me, these days as I get older I just have to remind myself
Stay calm in the storm
Find your prayer or mantra in nature, music, art, creating .
Make a habit of meeting the sacred everyday
Show resistance through joy, trust, love and creating .
(Adapted from Hopi Indian Chief White Eagle.)
