During times of global crisis, it is wise to reassess our individual positioning in life, so we don’t get needlessly swept away by fear and negativity. Since the world seems to be entering a new stage of upheaval, let’s talk about some ways to maintain a peaceful center, and stay grounded and happy.

The first thing you should do is to assess the collective energy and account for the fact that you might be unconsciously influenced by that energy without realizing it. For example, if there is a lot of fear and uncertainty in the air,  you might find yourself feeling more anxious than usual about your personal life. You might find it more difficult to make decisions.

If there is a lot of discord overall, you might find yourself feeling especially sensitive or testy about small things in your life. You could find yourself on edge. You might find yourself to be more impatient than usual. You could even feel more prone to conflict with family members, friends, or co-workers.

And finally, you could feel more tired, drained, and stressed overall, yet not know why. You might be inclined to attribute these feelings to your personal circumstances, but it could also be that you are unconsciously reacting to the greater stress in the world at large.

Accounting for all of this sets the stage for you to be intentional in elevating your energy and doing what is helpful to feel more like yourself again.

So let’s talk about the 3 best things that you can do to feel better!

1. – Live in Harmony With Nature

The great thing about nature is that nothing in nature reads or watches the news! This means that nature’s vibration is much more stable and harmonious than that of the human sphere of life. The sun rises, the seasons change, the stars shine, and the plants and animals go about their daily lives completely oblivious to all human conflict.

Finding ways to resonate with nature’s energy can restore peace and balance to your soul. Here are some things to keep in mind when it comes to you and nature:

• There is a grave human misperception that we are more the observers of nature, rather than a part of it. Nothing could be further from the truth. We humans are as much a part of nature as the trees, flowers, and birds that live in our backyards. Just because we live in houses and own computers does not exempt us from this truth.

• Because we are Earth’s most complex creatures, it is imperative that we align all of our energies in harmony with our most natural state, if we want to feel  happy and at peace. The opportunity to do this is readily available to us because nature is all around us. All you have to do is find ways to come into resonance with your natural self and the greater whole of the natural planet.

• What is our most natural state? It is a state where we feel in harmony and at peace. It’s a state where our energy can flow easily and without struggle. Ultimately, it’s a state of being happy and without conflict. You know that this is true because this is when your body, mind, and emotions feel the best.

• Think about ways that you can come into resonance with nature, instead of living in unconscious resonance with collective fear and anxiety. Here are a few ideas:

A – Bring elements of nature into your home. Candles, flowers, plants, crystals, and water fountains are always soothing and peaceful. Pets are also a wonderful way to feel more of nature.

B – Statues or images of angels and fairies can also be comforting because these beings are closely connected to nature.

C – Spend time outdoors consciously connecting with the beauty of the seasons. Notice the trees, the stars, the sunsets, and the creatures that are all around. Marvel at the magnificence of nature’s beauty and harmony.

D – Sit in meditation and focus on your breath and the inner world of your heart. Herein lies your deeper connection to nature in all the universe.

2. – Find a purposeful theme in your life

When the energy in the larger world becomes increasingly unstable, it can cause you to become highly reactive if you don’t have an internal compass in place. The best compass of all is the knowledge that your life has a larger purpose or theme.

The true essence of life’s purpose is that it is about serving others in some way. If you already know your life’s purpose, then focus on improving the quality of your actions. Become even better, and more loving and effective at what you do.

If you don’t know your life’s purpose, then see if you can detect a positive theme that you want to support in your life. How might you focus on contributing to others in some way?

Maybe your theme can be kindness. Maybe you can decide to always leave everyone you meet feeling better than before.

Perhaps you can become more purposeful when it comes to your family, by focusing on improved relationships. Perhaps you can give more attention to your children or spouse.

One of the best things you can do for people is to exude an aura of peace, confidence, and happiness. This gives others something positive to resonate with, and always makes people feel better.

You can basically create any positive, purposeful theme that you want. You can even make it as simple as looking for something good about each person you come in contact with, and then encouraging the expression of that goodness.

One final example of a purposeful theme is to focus on achieving any goals you may have. The idea of choosing a purposeful theme is to provide you with a sense of direction and help you to stay grounded with something that is reliable on a practical level. This focus makes it much less likely that you will find yourself on a roller coaster of emotional reactivity.

3. – Be Creative

The third thing you can do to feel better is probably the easiest and most fun. Find a creative hobby.

You might feel resistant to this, or say you don’t have time. But you can look at this as similar to meditation, in the sense that it will ground you and recharge your ability to focus.

The thing about a creative hobby is that it gives you something to do that is relaxing and lighthearted. You don’t have to get all intense about it and believe that you have to prove your worth. Instead, you can just relax and have fun.

Something about this type of activity lightens up the mind, and takes your mind off of dire situations.

When I lived in the Washington D.C. area during 9/11 and the subsequent aftermath of additional threats, plus the infamous sniper episodes, the collective stress levels were off the charts. I took up  needlepoint, of all things, and was amazed at the resulting stress reduction. It was like a mental, emotional vacation from the whole fiasco! Who would have guessed that something this simple could have such an effect? And I should add that I had no previous interest in such things.

In Conclusion

You can try any one of these 3 things, or a combination of all of them. There is one more thing you can do in addition to these ideas. When you first get up in the morning, tell yourself that you are going to be happy today. Tell yourself that today will be a good day!

At any point in the day, if you find yourself feeling pessimistic or sad, remind yourself that you decided be happy. This will immediately shift your thinking into a more positive attitude.

You can stay conscious about what is happening in the world, and at the same time retain your own ability to stay in balance, create the life that you want, and be a contributing, calming force for others.

Have you found any other ways to avoid stress, when the world seems to be focused on fear and negativity?  Share your thoughts with me in the comments below!