Navigating Through Difficult Times 

Do you ever sense you are mentally in overload?  

We live in turbulent times where we are often bombarded with incoming news feeds, social media notifications, advertising, plus our own personal and work life intake of information.  

In recent years levels of anxiety, stress and mental health issues have soared. Calming our nervous system while experiencing a greater sense of inner peace is what we all yearn for. 

Traditionally, the media focuses on news items which create an emotional shock reaction within us. As humans, we have a curiosity for grim, shocking headlines as we are immediately emotionally engaged, creating a sense of fear within us. When we experience fear, our body floods with cortisol and Adrenalin, activating the flight, fight or freeze response. Our blood pressure and blood sugar level increases, our immune system is suppressed and the digestive system becomes compromised. In the longer term our mental health suffers, including stress and anxiety issues.  

When we are in this state, our body focusses on fight or flight, therefore we are less able to see alternatives out of a situation as our brain function is not a priority, making us feel out of control, helpless, and hopeless. 

So next time you feel overwhelmed and helpless because of the very difficult times we live in, ask yourself:- 

• How does this make me feel? 
• Am I feeling depressed, low, helpless? 
• Ask your body – where are you holding tension hearing this news? 
• Do I feel angry, stressed or agitated? 

When things get too much you can try:- 

• Switching off your newsfeed notifications on your laptop, mobile phone etc. 
• Sign up to https://www.positive.news to receive regular emails containing positive things which are happening in our world. 
• Focus on your neighbourhood – shrinking your intake to local news creates a sense of being in touch with your community and may even open up the possibility of something you can put that energy into. 
• Physically move the stress out of your body by taking a walk, run. Even shaking your body on the spot and jumping up and down can helps release stress. 
• Unlike/unfollow anything on social media that creates a stress response within you. 
• Discover ways you can balance your nervous system, such as Sound Healing frequency music, humming (a great way to balance the vagus nerve), cold showers or find a local Practitioner near you for deep relaxation. 

For many years now I have made a conscious effort not to watch the mainstream news as I noticed the deep effect it had on my own health.  

I do not see it as ‘burying my head in the sand’- far from it. I take regular care to look after my own wellbeing, and actively serve others through my role as a Practitioner. I could not help others if I was in the mindset of what awful events are happening, or may happen, in the world.   

I believe the world is a better place if we are healthier, coming from a place of love, compassion and kindness, reaching out to others to create good in the world. Even the smallest act of kindness ripples out to others, creating change.  

The change starts with us and our own wellbeing.  

If you would like to be a part of an online community which supports your own wellbeing, and centres around the qualities mentioned, my online membership is a space created with this in mind.  Take a look here.