When unexpected or bad things happen, we can feel incredibly overwhelmed. Just look at the past 20 months since the pandemic. Many of us have faced so much uncertainty, loss, and serious hardships.
Often times when we focus on things that have already happened, we become depressed – just like when we focus on the future we can become anxious. But when we focus on the present and what we do control, we light our own candle in the darkness.
Here are three ways to light your candle and illuminate your path ahead:
1.) Practice gratitude. Focus on appreciating all that you do have. I remember early on in the pandemic I stayed in my house a lot – as in, for weeks at a time, which was so unusual for me. One night I was out driving, and the sunset was setting, and I was just in awe of seeing something so beautiful. It was something I had taken for granted before when I was super busy running here and there. Taking the time to appreciate the beauty in this world reset my mind to look for all that was good and going right in my life.
2.) Connect with others. When I feel overwhelmed by situations, it’s so easy to stay stuck thinking about it. I isolate myself. But as they say, monsters live in the dark. When I make an effort to connect with a friend or family member, my focus shifts to them and what is going on in their lives. We laugh about things and overall, I just feel less alone, and I hope they do, too. There hasn’t been a time when I have reached out to others that I didn’t feel better afterwards and more capable of dealing with my problem.
3.) Have compassion for yourself and others. For the most part, we are all doing the best that we can in any given situation. Don’t be too hard on yourself or others. By being kind to yourself and others, you empower rather than judge. Feeling compassion from others tends to make us feel more optimistic. And when you are more optimistic, you are more likely to see ways forward that you didn’t see before.
