Finding calm amid the storm
A lot of dust has been swirled up this week. It is pushing buttons and triggering people left and right. On the positive side, we are becoming more aware of what's important to us and are feeling more compelled to actively do something to contribute to the kind of world we want to live in. On the flip side, we could easily spend all day being outraged about the stories, posts and comments we see flooding our feed.
Regardless of where you stand on an issue the chances of being triggered are high right now because everyone's opinions are very much intensified. So if you agree with a post or article, the comments that don't agree might upset you and vice versa.
While there's the initial rush of adrenalin that anger provides, and the call to action it encourages, when we feel it constantly it is exhausting and drains us of our power. Social media is really powerful for the amount of information it provides but it is hard if not impossible to emotionally process the avalanche of information hurling our way all day every day. We don't have time to read every single article properly and so we find ourselves fuming at this heading or that heading or sharing like crazy when we haven't really read the whole thing.
Anger does have a purpose, but it is a place to refuel our tank, not park our car. Our lack of emotional processing, combined with a lack of action on our part to contribute to a lot of issues (aside from pressing an emoticon) can leave us feeling depressed or overwhelmed not to mention the stress on our adrenals. The fact is, there are just not enough hours in a day to be able to emotionally process all we are digesting, or take action around every issue that concerns us, or every issue coming to our attention.
Amid all the push and shove, make getting centred a priority. Maybe morning and night isn't enough right now. Maybe you need to get centred every half hour depending on your social media and info consumption. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, connect with your inner source. Say: thank you for guiding me. Find your own mantra or wise words that soothe you. It takes a few seconds but it's the calm you'll need amid the storm that can toss us this way and that.
Choose a few causes that you are passionate about and take some time to find out what's really going on. Contribute to those causes in whatever ways flow best with you be it sharing an article or volunteering or adjusting what you buy or eat, or asking those involved: what do you need?
Take time out from being online. A trip to the beach, playing with your kids, hiking in nature, cooking, baking, gardening, dancing, do whatever soothes and uplifts your soul. The world will gain more from a refreshed and recharged you.
How are you all feeling right now?
(c) Dana Mrkich 2017
