A Creative Solution

A lot of us are asking ourselves and the world at large, what can we do?

What can we do to combat all that seems to be going wrong around us? It is so easy to feel helpless right now. Beyond giving money to the causes we want to support and who are the ones with boots on the ground fighting the good fight, beyond speaking our truth against evil, what can we actually do to help? It's a question I've been asking myself a lot. And in my quest to find the answer, I didn't get exactly what I was expecting- but I think I did get the answer. I think the answer is multifaceted, and not as clear cut as some of us would like. Often we just want to hear a punch list that we can easily do and feel like we've crossed something off the proverbial list. I get that, because many of us are so overwhelmed and tired and at a loss, that we just want someone to direct us. But that's sort of where the problem lies. We need to resist the urge to just be told what to do in favor of going within ourselves for the answer. Because the answer is going to be different for each one of us. But I have learned some things over the past week that have helped me to determine my own approach, and I'll share that in case it helps you directionally.

Energy Management

It's so easy to get caught up in the news and feel like you have to stay hyper vigilant. You need to sort of hold on to your fear and anxiety as if doing so will keep you alert and aware, and ready for action. There are a few challenges with this approach. First off, that's exactly the goal of the media. To keep us watching/listening (for ratings). They're not there to "help" us. They are there to make money off of us. So don't let them confuse you into believing that staying on top of the news is servicing you or anyone else. I'm by no means saying live under a rock and be unaware of what's going on. What I am saying is that we should be mindful and intentional about our consumption. It's one thing to be aware of what's happening, and another thing to wallow in it. This applies to how much we talk about it too. It's the idea that what we focus on, grows. What we focus on is what we're going to notice, and what in turn we'll consume more of. So I'm doing my best to currently balance staying aware, without being consumed. I understand this will be different for everyone, as some people will be really required to be more hyper vigilant, if they're at risk of deportation for example. I can't believe I'm even having to say that. Or if they lose their job, or funding, etc. due to decisions being made by the current administration. It would be easy for all of us to get swallowed up in a wave of grief and fear by all of this. But we can't afford to do that. Part of the fight is finding peace and joy instead and raising the vibration in our own lives and those around us. I know that may be hard to hear if you're getting swallowed by the grief, but I promise- it's the only way we get out of this and on the other side. There are more of us than them. This is our time to shine and show the way.

Creativity

I'm currently listening to the audio version of Martha Beck's new book, "Beyond Anxiety: Curiosity, Creativity, and Finding Your Life's Purpose." One thing I've learned is that anxiety and creativity cannot exist at the same time. So if you're finding yourself in an anxious or fearful state, the antidote is creativity of any kind. This is an important lesson beyond what we're currently going through, because it can help us at any time we're experiencing this. It doesn't have to be what you may consider traditional creativity like painting for example. It could be working on a puzzle, trying a new recipe, adult coloring books, flower arranging (I mean, I had to mention that ;), picking up a new hobby like sewing. I can tell you first hand that this truly works. You're taken a world away from your monkey mind. This can ultimately be what helps you with the energy management piece.

Joy

I know you may be thinking that being joyful is inappropriate given the world events. I really do get that, because it has taken me a really really long time to understand that focusing on joy- feeling it, and spreading it- is not about abandoning or ignoring the current state of our world. But two things can be true at the same time. We can be experiencing grief and fear at what's happening, while also focusing on the joy that exists at the same time. We just have to be open to seeing it, and to actively look for it. The notion of looking at all the helpers when things go wrong. We've all been through this many times before in our lifetime. Covid is a good recent example of it. We went through a really dark time, where a lot of grief and fear was experienced. But we also found joy. We found each other. Through Zooms and Tiktok, we found new hobbies, we found unbelievable inner strength that we didn't know existed. We witnessed miracles, and we saw people who put their lives on the line to save others. Joy is contagious. It's again part of our energy management plan. The joy doesn't have to be anything grand either. It can be just appreciating the sun, the people you love around you, a really good cup of coffee. Joy is what gives us strength to keep moving through the dark times. So don't rob yourself of it. I promise that staying in fear doesn't help anyone, especially you.

We're living through really unprecedented times right now, and we're all feeling that. There are so many people in need of help. And as the saying goes, it has to start with putting on your own oxygen mask first. So take care of yourself, and know that joy and creativity and love are all part of the revolution. It's the easiest place to start.

XO