Anyone else finding the juxtaposition of life confusing right now? It’s such a gorgeous time of year where I live, getting to have so many sunny days, enjoying warmth and blue skies, flowering gardens, and some really delicious fresh and local foods, from lobster to strawberries and from garlic scapes to new potatoes.
And yet, I’m also making phone calls to my representatives to tell them they need to do everything in their power to stand up against concentration camps being built in our backyards.
What to do, in the face of it all? How do you keep moving forward in your own life when you know what’s happening in your backyard?
Photo description: Magenta-colored flowers catch the light, with their green leaves behind them (Photo by Jamie Feinberg)
You know what you need best, my friend. But here are some ideas, if things are hazy and it feels like the walls are closing in:
- Return to the self-care practices that have gotten you through tough times in the past. Feel regulated when you take a shower? When you go for a run? When you call a friend? Prioritize that.
- Practice presence, several times a day, but definitely when you begin your day. Pay close attention to your five senses. Feel yourself in your body. Focus on your breath. Release tension. Release negative thoughts.
- Cultivate movement in your life, at whatever level is feasible for you. The more movement, typically, the better you will feel. I know for myself, the more intense it is, the bigger a difference it makes, but just walking or even getting outside can make a difference.
- Find the sky. Remember when you see the clouds or tops of buildings or find the sun or blue that there is something bigger than you in this world – whether it’s a divine presence or simply a giant planet and universe that will long outlive you, tune in to the gifts of that, and remember you’re one person, doing your small part, to make a difference today.
- Give back. Call your representatives. Protest. Create art. Talk to people. Stand up for small injustices and micro-aggressions. Do not normalize atrocities. Talk about people as if they are human – because they are.
- Feel gratitude for something. Or several somethings.
- Take breaks from social media. Take breaks from noise. Just be.
- Find community. Join a group or start one. (Join one of mine!) Get connected and remember that sharing our gifts and our presence is a meaningful way to be the best we can be in the world.
Remember you’re not alone. Thank you for being you, and for doing what you have the capacity for today, in your own world and your own community.
And I’d love to hear how you’re doing right now. How are you handling this? How do you want to handle this?
Recent articles from me you might enjoy:
Creating space, allowing stillness
Anxious for the future? Quiet and control those hyper-vigilant thoughts
Finding gratitude while facing fascism
Crafting The Life You Want: A Practice in Living 