I just read an article by Zawn Villines on taking care of one’s mental health and personal wellbeing in today’s difficult climate. No matter which side of the political divide, these are trying times of rapid change and uncertainty. In my lifetime, I have never lived through such a long and sustained period of national stress/distress. The list of the events and policies that give me stress is long… Here are several off the top of my head, how our country is engaging/not engaging North Korea, Russia, Iran, and the EU, handling immigrants and asylum seekers and their families, making trade policies or imposing possible tariffs, and degrading and neglecting our environment.
Villines’ article gave me food for thought. She focused on taking care of oneself mostly from a political perspective. Interestingly, just the other day, someone asked me what I do, how I handle the anxieties that we experience now and how to make a positive difference. This topic seems to be in the air.
Recently, I stopped listening to the news until I sit down for breakfast. Before, I connected with the news almost as soon as I got up. Surprisingly, this small adjustment has made a difference. The start of my day has become a haven of more peaceful stillness. It is now a time to gather my own thoughts on how I want to live the day. But this is just one tiny act. Here are some other steps that I plan to take.
I will address this topic in two ways. One is how I plan to engage with the world as I find it now. Taking a cue from Villines at this point, I offer two of her suggestions, “don’t waste time and energy on tactics that feel bad or don’t work… pick an issue (to work on) to avoid getting overwhelmed.” Villines makes the point that we each need to do what we can, and let others do what they can. No one can do it all. Here are other suggestions.
- Engage others, I mean everyone, with cheer and friendliness. In particular that means keeping up the congenial small talk with neighbors and those you meet during the day.
- Kindness, practice acts of kindness.
- Work locally to make community improvements, meals for kids and seniors, picking up a park area, volunteering at a justice center. There are many needs.
- Vote!
The other tack is to take good enough care of yourself. I noted one simple act; limiting time spent listening to or watching news or engaging with the media. Here are some other ideas.
- Of course, eat healthfully and get enough exercise and rest.
- Enjoy time with family and friends.
- Appreciate the beauty around you. The other night when I took the dogs for their last evening outing, an orange-pink moon was rising and the fields were full of fireflies. It was magical and beautiful. We took an extra long walk to enjoy the spectacle. It helped me put events in perspective.
- Create a safe and nurturing space and activity in your home environment (meditation, prayer, cooking, gardening for example), and spend time recharging regularly.