Thu, 21 Sep 2017 16:03:12 +0000
Thursday, September 21, 2017 is International Day of Peace.
How do we find and remain centered in an internal place of peace in a world fraught with emergencies and difficulties?
These are difficult times. There is no way around it. As a coach, I’ve been working with people all over the world who are having trouble staying centered. How do we keep our footing when the rug is being pulled from beneath our collective feet? Here are a few tips that have emerged from the work I’ve been doing with people in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Northern America.
Many of us are seeing these extreme world events reflected in our personal relationships. People are acting odd. Work falls through. Friends seem more like enemies. Remember, everybody is feeling out of sorts. Everybody is scared. So, we’re dealing with our fear, and the fear of others.
If you’re upset with someone or something, check in with your own emotions. Don’t throw rage and blame outward. Your rage against the machine FUELS the machine. Your rage at flooding and earthquakes does nothing to help the people who need our help. You MUST find a way to cultivate peace internally.
- What methods have worked for you in the past to help bring you back to your center? What practice do you, or did you once, have in place that brought you deep contentment? Exercise? Yoga? Poetry? Nature? Writing? Art? Find your happy place, and go there every day. Every. Day.
- Speak to someone. Have honest discussions about how scared, and hurt you are. Find the love. You’re scared not just for you and your family, but for others in danger. Love is behind the rage. Find the love, and speak from that.
- Take positive action of any kind. Create your emergency kit if you haven’t done so. Does your place of business have an emergency plan in place. Review that plan, or offer to help. Donate to an existing emergency situation. Volunteer. If you’re a writer or artist, integrate what you’re feeling, and your deepest wisdom about the current climate into your work. What else is art for?
- Deal with your healing/therapy. Now more than ever we cannot be acting out like children. We need to be grown up, especially as emergencies tend to trigger our “stuff”. Deal actively with your issues. No, don’t think about someone ELSE’S mental health issues. I knew when I wrote that, that many people reading it would automatically think of someone else who has issues. Turn the magnifying glass to yourself. Deal with your OWN issues. I promise, you have some.
- Step into your power. You know what a strong and passionate person you are. You know how much you are capable of helping yourself, your loved ones, your community, and your world. No more playing small. Step into your power now. You are needed, like never before.
Do be present for ourselves, our families and our communities, we need to keep ourselves in alignment with our best and highest selves. If you need a break, back away from following the news. This isn’t putting your head in the sand, it’s necessary self care. We’re all going to be called to step up to the plate here, and we need our wits about us.
I’m a book and creativity coach. Contact me at info.artofstorytelling@gmail.com, or via Art of Storytelling Online.