Is It Possible to Stay Calm When the World is On Fire?

Some days, it can feel like we just want to put on a Hazmat suit and zip ourselves up, shut out all the scary things happening. Climate horrors, war, violence, terrorism, maniacs in charge, and all the rest of it. But then we want to know what’s going on, feel guilty for ignoring the truth, and so we unzip our suits and turn on the news. Once again, we become overwhelmed, afraid, outraged, horrified, and feel helpless. And so, we zip up again-hide, deny, avoid, compartmentalize, rationalize, and try to protect ourselves from what feels overwhelming and unfixable. Or we double down and watch and read until we’re sick with bad news. Back and forth we go, without any real solution, or relief.

To feel afraid right now is natural, and to some degree, realistic. There’s no way to be a citizen of this planet without being inundated by constant and very real threats to our own existence. If we’re upset by what’s happening, it’s because we’re connected to reality. The answer is not to put on rose-colored glasses and convince ourselves that all is well. All is not well, but living in denial or delusion is not a solution. But how do we maintain a sense of inner peace or well-being in a world that is legitimately so broken?

Who Do We Want to Be?

First, it’s important to acknowledge our feeling of fear and helplessness, and to remind ourselves, with kindness and patience, that it’s okay to be afraid. But acknowledgment is not enough. We also need to ask ourselves, Who do we want to be in this world the way it is? How do we want to dance with this world we’re now presented with? No matter what’s going on in our external world, we need to live with a sense of intention. Are we living our own life from a place of peace … or violence? Are we being the change we long for … part of the problem or the solution? It behooves us to take care of our…

Related posts:

I like the fact that she cared. The way her face lit up at the slightest hint. I was impatient. She was fierce. Our love was a hot molten mess. And we licked it right off. Ate each other out. Bit off…

Some days are so hectic I have no energy or time left to write my daily column. Living in Spain complicates things because of the time difference with the U.S. ––where I assume, perhaps incorrectly…

The gravel crunching underfoot Morning dew shimmering like diamonds A dove singing to welcome in the new day I slowly take the twisting path Past the flower meadow Taking my time to enjoy the…