Positive…

We find ourselves amidst a whirlwind of world-altering circumstances, severe health concerns and greatly challenged days. Lately, our buttons are being pushed beyond what many of us have experienced in our lifetime and many of us are responding from knee-jerk reaction. Often we catch ourselves in an unpleasant emotional state. We want to make sense of the world and our place in it. I, for sure, found myself in this space during this time and everything seems a bit much. The key is to acknowledge our urge to react and to hold it at arms-length. We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We may not be able to change the external circumstances but you can transform the way you feel and respond to what’s happening. This can but only help us to figure out how to comprehend our chaotic world.

We can make sense of our world by living our lives to the best of our ability. It is said that optimists experience better health and manage challenges more effectively. Now more than ever it is important to be optimistic and live a healthier life. Your immune system functions much better when it is well nourished, energised and refreshed. It is important to eat healthily, get some exercise and sleep. At the end of each day reflect on what you can be thankful for. Living a healthier life also promotes positive mindsets and can only help us to make sense in this time. Positive thinking, or an optimistic attitude, can have a big impact on our physical and mental health. I for instance find comfort translating my thoughts into written narratives and it helps me to think about my situation at a much deeper level. A positive attitude helps us see the possibilities within a situation, while negative thinking narrows our view. We all need to find coping mechanisms that will allow us to make inner sense of our situations. I find encouragement in people’s kind and uplifting gestures and knowing that my girls are coping in this time. Let’s find ways to create a positive and powerful ripple. This will help us to focus on the good in any given situation.

We cannot change the inevitable. However, we have choices as to how we will respond in this time. Choose empathy over apathy. Apathy, like the virus, can keep us isolated, hopeless and scared. The apathetic may lack a sense of purpose, worth or meaning in life. Let us move from apathy to empathy to create a more fulfilling and meaningful life. The pandemic taught us with simple clarity that our existence on the planet relies on the timeless values of empathy and selflessness. These timeless values have no expiration and will never fall out of the good graces of society.

 Life as we know it will not be the same again. The world is a different place and we have been changed in ways that we could not imagine. There’s truth in the saying “it’s always darkest before the dawn” and I know most of us can attest to it being really dark right now. I’m anxiously looking forward to experiencing brighter days. “The morning will come again. No darkness, no season is eternal.” – BTS, “Spring Day”