I am writing to you today from my home office space that is just full of sunshine and a cute little kitty basking in it on the back of my chair! As I’m sitting here looking out the window I have been reflecting on what has been present in sessions with people over the past few weeks.
As a therapist, I have the privilege of being trusted with the sacred inner workings of the courageous individuals I sit with each week. Over time I have noticed a trend: themes. Sitting with about 20 different individuals a week gives me a bit of an inside scoop into what is moving through people out in the world and I thought that I would take a few moments to share one, and perhaps if it lands for you, it may help you to feel not so alone.
Regardless of where your political views are at this current moment, most of us are feeling some sense of doom and gloom (defeat, pointlessness, helplessness) around the state of violence and division in the world, and the emotional and economic toll that the last few years have taken on most of us. If you have been feeling this, know that it is sitting heavy with many others also trying to navigate life with these increasing levels of uncertainty. I wish that I could wave a magic wand and make it all easier, I truly do. However, being as I don’t have one of those, I wanted to share some thoughts around a few things we could each try, that might make us all feel a little lighter and brighter when there seems to be no foreseeable end to the chaos out there.
Gratitude. Keep a little notebook beside your bed and each morning when you wake up, and each night when go to bed (or whatever time of day getting out of bed and getting into it occur for you) write down five things that you are grateful for. Part of our brain is programmed for survival at all cost and one of the ways that it keeps us alive is constantly scanning our environment for danger and threat (think negative things that happen/could happen) to avoid. By default our brains think negative thoughts. Intentionally and consciously thinking positive ones can help get us out of this cycle of only focusing on the negative, which is adding to our doom and gloom.
Practice being in the present - with nature. If I’m having a hard day and I feel like things are all going to shit, I spend time with my cats or head outdoors. Connecting with the other-than-human world reminds me that some things are ok, there is still a natural order to things, and many beings are still connected to this greater rhythm/order that connects us all. I focus on one thing at time - a favourite tree (strong but flexible, doing what trees do), the absence of birds in the pond (doing what birds do and migrating), and the bushes all brown and dry (after dropping seeds for next spring). Being with the Wild, reminds me that I too am a part of its rhythm. This helps me to feel like I belong to something that has more intelligence than I, or any human, could ever consciously possess, and that gives me hope for the future.
Play games with friends (or something that brings out your playful side). Being with others while being silly, having fun, and letting loose is one of the greatest chill pills for our nervous systems. I know as adults fun can often seem like a dirty word or something that is only a reward after all the work is done, but I assure you, it is one of the greatest things that you can do for your overall health and wellbeing. If at all possible - DO THIS IN-PERSON, OFFLINE, IRL.
Thanks so much for taking the time to read. I hope that you have found some value here. And, if not, feel free to check out one of the following videos that supports the information above. The first is just for laughs (cats and Christmas trees never gets old) and the second is a more nerdy dive into why #3 above is super important.
In kindness,
Dana
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