Dealing With Chaos

We are surely in the midst of a great deal of chaos. But don't think that you are alone. Many people are becoming overwhelmed by the activity, the challenges, the workload that faces them right now. Many other people are losing their hard-worked-for belongings because of the uncertain financial terrain. It is not hard to see why someone might lose hope during these difficult times.

It is normal for a person who has experienced loss of any kind, whether job, home, family members, or the general calm once permeating one's life, to want to look at the past, over the shoulder, so to speak. But it is important for your well-being to work hard not to do that.

The key here is to focus on the big picture. To help you do this, it makes sense to set goals for yourself. The area of the goals, whether it is where to find tonight's dinner or where to get a new job or how you can keep your children entertained, doesn't matter. But the important thing is to keep your eyes facing forward on your path. Keep your goals short-term to start out. Think of getting through your day and coping with immediate needs. You can add longer-term goals later, but just for the sake of practice and getting accustomed to the idea, keep it simple.

An example of a goal might be to make a weekly menu. You have a limited budget for food. Try to be creative in using inexpensive cuts of meat, pastas dishes that will stretch the meal, vegetables that pack a nutritional punch, and if you need dessert, something that you can make from scratch for pennies. (After all, Marie Antoinette said, "Let them eat cake!" Why? Because cake was cheaper than bread, and she did, really, think they had cake.) This is just one example. Another might be to change the oil in the car. You can purchase the oil and filter at an auto parts store, do the labor yourself, and save $10-15 doing it. Any time you do something yourself, rather than having to hire it done, you save money. So if finances are an issue for you, think of doing things for yourself. The satisfaction you receive will be well worth it, and you will "work off" some of the stress that the chaos of these times are presenting.

If you are suffering from stress during these times, try to spend quiet time in meditation by closing your eyes and taking in long, slow, deep breaths, holding the breath for 4 counts, and then letting the air out of your lungs. Try this for five minutes, three times a day, and you will find that you are more relaxed, as the stress on the heart is relieved.

Also, you may want to keep a journal of your goals. Write the goal and then report your progress on that goal, how you feel about it, and what you can do next time to improve on it. Or if you have achieved the goal, set a new one! This keeps the energy flow of the subtle bodies flowing smoothly and helps reduce the overall stress that you experience. And you may just have greater insight in the process.

May you be richly blessed!
Rev. Sandra J. Bogner-Follett