“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance and order and rhythm and harmony.” – Thomas Merton
Finding A Way Forward
In times of stress and uncertainty it can be hard to feel grounded and settled. Times like these, with the Coronavirus, economic upheaval and job losses, can cause us to be unsure where we are going, what we should be doing and what might lie ahead of us in the unknown future.
Our reality, however, is still in our control, to a large degree. More so than we think it is. Every crisis is a crossroads, a place where we can either choose to be swallowed by our own anxiety and fear of what might be or we can choose to look for the opportunities.
Seeing The Opportunities
The old saying that when one door closes another door opens is very true, the problem is that we have to be looking for the doors in the first place. An opportunity is only available if we are aware of it. A lost job could be a chance to change career or start a business. An injury can be a chance to pause and review our goals.
If we stop in the moment we are in and ground ourselves in the present, rather than the past that we cannot change or the future that does not yet exist, we can feel like there is ground beneath us, and we can look for opportunities to move forward with excitement and confidence.
Finding Our Centre
Many of us are having to self isolate, which can be hard. Especially when we are separated from our loved ones. Though it can be a chance to pause, to read and reflect, to start meditating or do yoga. It can be a rare chance to figure out what we want to achieve in this thing called life.
These opportunities don’t come along very often, to have time to re-centre ourselves. To step out of the chaos and recalibrate our lives. This is not to say that this is easy or to dismiss people’s hardships in these difficult times. It is just a reminder that in every situation there is a chance to find a positive way forward.
Spreading The Love
So many people are hurting at the moment, either through personal loss, the loss of a job or separation and isolation. This is a time when those of us who are more fortunate can spread some kindness and joy. We can do small acts of kindness. Say good morning to a passerby, rather than keeping away through fear of the Coronavirus. We can still wish people well and great them with a smiling face while social distancing. We can connect through our words while wearing a mask.
We can call people we know to bring some normality to their lives and have a laugh. Laughter is much needed at the moment. A simple act of kindness can brighten up someone’s day or save a life. Many people decide to end it all because they feel lonely and unloved.
Showing people that we are not divided, that we are in this thing called life together and we can live at our best not our worst. The things in life that we experience are often the result of our actions and our thinking. We paint the picture of our lives and we can add some beautiful colours to the lives of others. We are co-creators of our lives.
Balancing Together
These are all things that we can do to re-balance our lives, to ground ourselves, to pause and re-centre, and to spread some joy and connect with others. As long as we do not succumb to fear and anxiety, as long as we problem solve and look for the opportunities we can overcome the challenges we face.
We are none of us alone in our challenges. It can be easy to feel isolated, but we have many ways in which we can connect with others, even if it is just a phone call. We are out of balance when we feel alone, we are meant to be connected to others, but these connections need to be maintained, whether family, friend or colleague. We are responsible for our own balance, but we cannot do it alone.
Something to think about…
What areas of your life seem out of balance or
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