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What are you doing to stay sane now when sometimes life and the world seem to be more than a bit crazy? That’s a serious question because there are some difficult problems going on in the world with health and financial concerns and social unrest.

It not only affects our world but also creeps closer, coming into everyday life in our country and community. It brings more uncertainty, anxiety, and sadness for what has been taken away. When we see all the negatives that are going on we find it hard to believe. It’s stressful and families are affected. Aristotle said, “It’s during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.”

We want to share some ideas on how to feel more positive and hang on to sanity when everything around us seems topsy-turvy. We find these ideas helpful and hope you will, too.

1. Stay aware to be safe. Follow recommendations, but then protect yourself by avoiding as much of the negative news as you can. News that’s filled with statistics of rioting and looting, burning and shooting, will not make you feel calmer! Get what you need to know, then turn it off!
2. Plan ahead. Planning will help you feel prepared and more secure. Realizing what you can control and what you can’t control will help you make realistic decisions with your preparations.
3. Manage your mindset. Avoiding negative news is good but it also takes putting in some positives to balance the many negative thoughts that float around in our heads each day. Research shows that about 70 percent of our thoughts are negative. So, make a constant effort to catch and reframe those thoughts and put in some good thoughts of happier times. Prayer and meditation can be helpful to slow the mind and find strength and peace.
4. Take good care of yourself. Feeling good physically provides a solid foundation. If you need doctor appointments, perhaps they can be done virtually but if not, don’t delay any treatment you need. Of course, have healthy habits with exercise, eating and sleep. Routines can help make life seem more “normal”. Good basic health habits do a lot to lower stress and anxiety and raise mood.
5. Care for someone or something. This means finding a way to have meaning in life. Caring for a person can be quite rewarding. Maybe you could volunteer for an organization where you meet other nice people and feel you are making a difference. Often animals bring happiness and meaning to life. You could feed the birds outside or even get a parakeet, or other type of bird, to add life to your home. Cats and dogs have always been good companions because they add a lot of love. Surprisingly, even caring for plants can lift mood and feel rewarding. I (Lynn) talk to my plants and even name them. Ok, I know you might be saying I’ve gone “off the deep end” with that behavior but plants bring me lots of joy.
6. Live life to the fullest. Enjoy life even now with the current situation. Maybe you want to take some online classes in subjects of your choice. Now may be the time to connect with family, spend time in nature and reflect on life. What’s important to you, what are your values and how do you really want your life to be in the future? Now’s an excellent time to explore your ideas and see what steps you could take to start in your desired direction.
7. Be grateful.  We all need toappreciate what we have now. Focusing on the good in life helps us notice more and more things for which to be grateful. We can feel blessed by people we know and comforts around us. Also, we can be grateful for the fact that there are support systems we can turn to for help if we need it. These could include neighbors, friends, places of worship and even professionals.

What about you? What do you want to do to feel more balanced and sane in a world that seems somewhat crazy right now? We encourage you to try some of the suggestions we’ve shared. Even though it’s hard to do, it’s very helpful to be positive especially when times are difficult. You are not alone. We are all in this together. By helping each other, we’ll be able to stay sane and even find some joy as we make it through these crazy times.

© Doug and Lynn Nodland 2020 Articles and videos may be shared in their entirety with attribution.