Between a hurricane hitting a major US city, North Korea firing off missiles, and widespread political turmoil, stress levels are up. Sometimes it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless to do anything about the numerous disasters, breaking news headlines, and personal problems that constantly bombard us.
We need resilience – the ability to suck it up and move on (or at least find a sense of peace among the turmoil), and like anything else worth having, finding resilience might take a little work. But even those of us prone to anxiety can come up with a “toolkit” of go-to techniques and practices to find calm in the storm.
Here is my own Resilience Toolkit. Even on relatively calm days, doing just one or two of these activities can help to clear your mind and be ready to deal with unexpected sources of stress. On days when you know you’re about to run head-on to numerous sources of stress, you might do several of these activities (as time allows; even a few minutes helps).
· Turn off the television and put down your phone. It’s okay to take a break from the news, and chances are, you can’t do anything about most of the problems you see on TV.
· Read something dealing with a lightweight subject that doesn’t push any of your buttons. Personally, I prefer travel books – they take you out of your own messed up world and transport you to someplace interesting and new where you have no dog in the hunt.
· Quiet crafting – knitting, woodworking, drawing, cooking, gardening, whatever floats your boat. I find that even one or two rows of knitting calms me down (or at least gives me an excuse to take a break from the rest of the world).
· Journaling. Write whatever comes into your pretty little head, and feel free to vent. You have permission to write illegibly so no one will ever be able to read your deepest vents, or you can tear up (or even burn) whatever you write afterwards. It’s the process that makes you feel better.
· Take a walk outside. Being outdoors gives you an instant sense of peace and quiet. A walk around the block or just a breath of fresh air does wonders.
· Spend a few minutes in meditation or prayer, doing yoga, or reading a favorite inspirational book. One of the purposes of spiritual practices is to help find a sense of peace.
Life is tough. Some days it’s tougher than others. Take care of yourself by spending a few minutes a day in your own little bubble of peacefulness, away from the madness of crowds and reality.
Blessings, Cindy
Cynthia Coe is the author of two novels and “Considering Birds & Lilies: Finding Peace & Harmony in the Everyday World Around Us.”
