We’re 18-months into a health scare that has had the result of nothing short of a collective trauma on society. It’s hard not to find an area of the world that hasn’t been touched in some way by this.
We are in a constant state of uncertainty, changing daily it seems, where so-called authority figures don’t even know what is happening.
What are we to do? With the ever-growing rates of anxiety, depression, loneliness, economic loss and generalized grief hitting us all, how do cope?
I know only one way to guard yourself to some degree against all of these factors:
Getting good with change is the only way to protect yourself in an ever-changing world.
But until you get that down, I want to share with you 3 things that will massively impact your ability to manage yourself in these crazy times.
As is often the case, it’s really the broader way we interact with our environments in a general sense that is the issue. So if we shift how we react to situations for an improved approach, we can gain some clarity of thought and peace of mind during these shifting times.
Check it out:
Stop trying to control external conditions. Speaking as a former control freak, just the relinquishing of it can be a freeing act of love for yourself. We control because we are afraid our needs won’t be met. In some way, we are feeling out of control in our own lives and so we try to control the external environment . But this isn’t what happens. In actuality, we are even more out of control because we have given our power away to others, allowing their actions to dictate what happens in our lives. Strong boundaries, knowing what is right for you and letting others live their own lives is the way to combat that.
Let go of your expectations of others. Think back. I bet money that in 100% of the cases where you were disappointed in life, it was because you had an expectation of someone or on something. Expectation comes from being attached to a certain outcome. This is why non-attachment is the ultimate way to freedom. The only reason we look for a certain outcome is that we believe our happiness lies within it. It makes us feel better. Non-attachment is the practice of allowing your well-being to rely solely on your own self-esteem rather than outside influences. Once you have that, you no longer need to place expectations on other people.
Allow others to lead their own lives. This is similar to the first point. Set your own requirements and boundaries with loving-kindness and how people choose to show up to that is their own damn business. You make your decisions about who and what you give your time to based on how another person or experience shows up. Is what your seeing from them aligned with what you want? Does it take you further away from who you are or what you want to be? How do you feel with that interaction or person in your presence? You can make your decision easily once you get that information because you know your limits. You state your truth to a person and that person states theirs to you if they are also standing in their integrity. Not everybody will rise to that occasion but it doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your well-being because they don’t yet have the capacity to do it. And it most certainly isn’t your obligation to help them get there.
While they may seem generalized advice, and you’d be correct in that, they are absolutely applicable and helpful in managing the discontent we’re seeing in our lives today.
A great place to practice these tips – and they do require practice! – is when scrolling social media. Because…most things don’t require a response. Great place to master it!
You can only control yourself and getting clear on how you manage the change you see in your world is not a suggestion anymore. It’s mandatory for the years ahead.
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