Smoke and piles of ash....destruction and devastation. More than a week of war in the Ukraine.
I never expected 2022 to be going in this direction....
With the Ukraine struggles, daily news of death and destruction, I've had a hard time thinking about anything else. The crimes against humanity are heavy. How do we reconcile the terror of these people or make sense of what's happening? It may seem worlds away, but it actually does affect us on several levels. There may be no bombs or fighter planes above, but the anxiety, sadness, and fear for these people is real. How will it impact our country? All of these thoughts can lead us down a dark road.
The stress of others, no matter how far away they are, impacts our stress level too. With social media, television news going 24/7 we can't escape the images. There's no "down time" to process what's happening, it's just streaming into our conscience constantly.
If you're striving to make sense of this madness, know you're not alone. If you're trying to explain it to your children, you're not alone. As a collective, we are watching it unfold feeling a bit helpless.
So I'm here telling you.....Be mindful of how this news is impacting you. Take care of yourself so as not to allow the negativity to become overwhelming. Here are my top 5 tips to alleviate some of the environmental stress we're all feeling in these uncertain times. With these tips you're putting deposits into your life accounts to better handle the life stress that inevitably comes our way.
1. Limit Your Media Consumption--You don't have to watch it unfold 24/7. Be intentional about your time. Notice how it's affecting you when you do watch it. What do you need to know to stay up to date? Get that information and then turn it off.
2. De-Stress. Do the things that bring you joy with people you love to be around. Find adventure, joy and community to help bring the emotional temperature down. Go for a walk outside (exercise). Walk barefoot in the grass (earthing). Watch a comedy and laugh till your belly hurts.
3. Get 7-9 Hours of Sleep. We know that sleep is restorative. It realigns your hormones and replenishes and repairs your cells. Your body needs sleep for every single function. Don't skimp! When we don't sleep it affects every aspect of our life from exercising to the health of our relationships.
4. Focus on Activities You Can Control. When it comes to this war, there is very little we can do. Donate to a trusted charity that is helping. Reach out to friends and family that have ties to Ukraine and check in. It helps us to feel less stressed when we can concentrate on things in our life that we can control--like routine. Again, don't get wrapped up in watching the news cycle through this story over and over again.
5. Get Grounded. Prayer/meditation is a great way to connect with something/someone greater than ourselves. Get back to your routine of quiet time-coming home to yourself and checking in. YOU are just as important! This helps to give us perspective, to make sense of the madness; directing our energy and emotion onto something we can control.
All of these feels are bringing me back to the height of the pandemic when I wrote about Uncertain Times on the Blog. Remember to protect your emotional health during trying times--be it the pandemic, the plight of the Ukrainian people, or your own personal struggles.
Know that I'm sending you light and love as we venture together making sense of the world and connecting the dots for our own lives.