I created Living ROI as a passion, to share my experiences and support others who want to live more authentic, joyful and fulfilling lives.
Dear Friends,
I’ve been thinking about the worries of the modern world this weekend, and how we can manage our day-to-day lives with hope, love and joy in the face of them: terrorism, social and political unrest, climate change, hatred and division, the destruction of the natural world, social and economic inequality… to name a few.
I asked myself, “How different were the worries of people a hundred years ago?” I confirmed that people had lots to worry about then too: In 1919, unrest ran rampant across the world, the Spanish Flu Pandemic (which ultimately killed up to 50 million people globally) was in its second year, terrorist bombings rocked seven U.S. cities and the Ku Klux Klan was active in 27 U.S. states stoking racial violence and terror against blacks, many of whom were recently returning soldiers from WWI.
In addition to the parallels between the world today and the world in 1919, we have some new complications:
- Technology that enables us to be plugged in, literally, 24/7, leading to technology addiction and a reduction in our attention span.
- The global opioid crisis that kills hundreds of thousands of people every year and continues to rise precipitously year-over-year.
- The obesity epidemic in adults and children caused by the manufacturing and marketing of highly-palatable, caloric and addictive foods that cause illness and premature death.
- Mass marketing of consumer goods that perpetuates a “I gotta have that” mentality and leads to over-consumption, waste and debt.
It sounds dire. Frankly, it is. But adversity is not a new phenomenon. So how do we cope and continue to generate ideas and solutions, as well as hope, love and joy, in the face of these challenges?
During a long drive to the mountains this weekend I listened to a series of podcasts with Oprah Winfrey and Eckhart Tolle on his bestselling book, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose.
The number one recommendation from the conversations between Oprah and Eckhart was to get ourselves into the present moment (the “Now”), as opposed to thinking about the past or the future, because it is from this place that we are best resourced to be effective.
How do you do that? By quieting our minds. We need to take time to be in silence through meditation or through focused, meditative activities where our attention is on one activity such as walking, eating, drawing, knitting, riding a bike, gardening, dancing—without multitasking.
This, as we all know, is easier said than done in our busy world. Even taking ten minutes to be in silence can be hard. It requires a commitment to make it a habit, and to continue to return to it when the habit wanes (which it will for most of us).
Other strategies I’ve learned and strive to practice in my own life to be in a resourceful state are:
- Be of service. Put my focus outward to helping other people and the world in small ways every day. Find someone who needs my support and encouragement.
- Take care of myself. Eat healthful food, rest and exercise.
- Make time for family and friends who lift me up.
- Spend time in nature.
- Don’t over-consume news. Balance the negative with positive content.
This weekend, after waking up to the news of the shooting in New Zealand, I found myself struggling to stay positive and hopeful. How can I be connected to what is happening in the world, and in my own life, and still move through my day with a light heart?
Maybe you too are feeling the heavy effects of that news, and the pervasive circumstances that surrounded it. One tangible strategy I’m using daily to help me stay connected to the positive is The Five-Minute Journal app.
Each morning the app prompts me to list three things I’m grateful for and three things I’ll do to make today a great day. In the evening, I’m prompted to identify three amazing things that happened to me that day. I can even upload an image for the day, which is surprisingly satisfying and illuminating.
If you have habits and tools that help you stay your best in the face of life’s challenges, I’d love to hear them, and will share them in a future newsletter.
