How To Feel Better

Texas. Las Vegas. Puerto Rico. Charlottesville. Health Care. Women’s rights.

There are so many things pulling at my heart lately. And everyday, there seems to be something else. The news cycle is vicious and I completely understand why many of us, myself included, aren’t in the most optimistic of moods.

I know things seem like they aren’t going to get better. And I wish I had some kind of wisdom or authority to say when we’ll finally see a shirt –in our policies, in our empathy, in humanity.

But sadly, I can’t. And neither can you.

All that we can do is spend some time focusing on feelings as okay as possible so that we can do as much good as possible. Don’t discount your feelings. I know that when issues happen, even tragic ones, we can still feel a bit of distance from us when we don’t have an obvious connection: a loved one, a hometown, a memory. And we can think that the feeling of heaviness we get as a result is somehow less valid.

I’m here to tell you that it’s okay to be impacted and effected by the state of the world, by the constant bad news.

Tonight, I want to focus on ways that we can work towards feeling a little bit better, day by day, one step at a time:

Take action – One thing that really get’s me down when major incidents occur is feeling like I have a lack of power or agency. That I can’t do anything to impact change. But we aren’t powerless, and we can make a difference. Donate to a relief fund, get out and vote to urge policy change or volunteer your time.

If you’re looking to take some action now and want to instantly feel good, how about socks? Yes, socks. A friend of mine runs a charitable committee, and they’re working hard to stock and distribute 500 pairs of socks to the homeless in Philadelphia as the weather turns cold. You can visit their amazon registry, purchase socks and they will be sent right to where they can be distributed.

Doing good always makes me feel better. They’re accepting donations until December 16th!

Take a break – Scaling back can also be needed when your heart is feeling especially heavy. For me, this usually means cutting back from news, emails and social media. I have to give myself and my brain a bit of a break from the constant headlines, statistics and other things that make me feel more overwhelmed than informed.

When is the last time you did a social media detox? Spend a day with a friend or a good book instead of with your head in your phone, refreshing an app? Try taking a break from the source of your overwhelm for a few days and see how it feels.

Let it out – You likely aren’t the only one feeling how you’re feeling right now. Whether you talk to a friend, seek our professional heath care or find solace in the pages of a journal, getting out of your own head is usually my first step to feeling better.

And because I believe there is power in numbers, if you know someone who would like to get together, talk things out and decide on ways to take action, why not be a leader and form a group yourself? Invite your friend, have them invite a friend and let the domino effect commence!

The only way to deal with darkness is with light, even if you have to be that light yourself. How have you been managing dealing with the weight of the world’s issues? Share your methods, action items or other tips in the comments.