Recently, a friend sent me a video that suggested a way to stay relatively sane in the midst of so many difficult events and so much change. I guess it’s an understatement to call some of what we’ve experienced in the last few years difficult. A more accurate description might be unimaginable and tragic.
So how do we cope and continue to function?
She suggested imagining we are the hub of a speeding wheel. That we picture we’re at the center of this wheel where there’s no centrifugal force, rather than trying to hang on to the spokes or the outside where we’d likely be thrown. In other words, while events swirl around us, we try to find some inner stillness and equilibrium.
At the same time, if we’re honest about upset and allow what we’re feeling to just be, we might minimize the grip it has on us. If we try to ignore it, or grasp at some quick fix, we might get derailed.
Of course, at times, we don’t want to stay tuned to frightening news or dwell on how we feel. We all need breaks and ways to find moments of peace. But taking time to acknowledge how we’re feeling might help us find a place where we might act with clarity instead of reacting with anger and fear.
The image of the hub of the wheel or the eye of the storm or the notion of being the ocean instead of the relentless waves has helped me as I go through my day, whether I’m running an errand, working, talking with a friend, or even watching the news.
Visit on Instagram