Daily exposure to heightened rhetoric leaves us with tight shoulders, shallow breathing, overeating, and short tempers.
These are natural reactions to absorbing fear of both the known and the unknown.
We need strategies to deal with situations we can’t directly affect.
Sometimes, though, we don’t seem to have any energy left to manage our own reactions. So, some ideas…
Go ahead and take that nap. We really need the rest. We can’t run a marathon all day long. The natural flow of the day is more like a sprint. Rest in between physical and emotional exertion.
Turn off the news commentary on radio and television. We need time to let our minds and hearts recover balance and find optimism and hope.
Listen to music. No matter what your tastes in music, it does soothe. Sometimes it reminds you of your youth, or happy decades. Sometimes, it provides spiritual renewal. It can even lower your blood pressure and bring back your smile!
Read each day. Reading thoughtful and positive books sets the tone for a better day. Reading engages your mind while your full attention is on the written word. Try to memorize a line that speaks to you.
Sounds simple, and maybe it is, but doing it takes discipline.
You can do it.