The Times They Are A’ Changin’
What a crazy time we are living in. The sixth global mass extinction, Species are dying and disappearing at an unprecedented rate in the short history that is humanity. Global warming is happening. Whether humanity is the cause of it or not is debatable, but scientists show us that over millennia, the earth has warmed and cooled periodically. We are in fact still in the tail end of an ice age: there have been times in earth’s history when there was no ice at all upon the globe. The fact that there are still polar ice caps is the testament to the ice age we are still in.
Whatever the cause, the planet is going through massive change and upheaval.
Weather patterns and tectonic plates are shifting. Earthquakes are in fact the norm over the span of the globe. Sea levels are rising as the ice caps are melting. Habitats are destroyed and not just for the animal kingdom. Whole islands and nations are going under; people are being displaced. Moreover, even though, according to some historians, we are living in the most peaceful times ever, the horrors and atrocities of war are thrown at us daily on our television screens.
On top of all this, or maybe instead of you may be going through a rough patch in your personal life. Possibly, you have lost your job, going through a divorce or break up and finding that your life is suddenly filled with uncertainties and upheaval. Without positive coping skills this situation can quickly spiral out of control causing harm to your mind (depression and anxiety), body (stress and overwhelm) and spirit (loos of hope, comfort, and quality of life).
It is easy to get overwhelmed and freaked out during such times. How do we cope, and what can we do in the face of all this sorrow?
How Can We Find Hope?
One of the most powerful practices we can implement to counterbalance all of this is to practice the art of gratitude. Sure, you’ve probably heard this before but how often do you truly feel grateful for all the blessings in your life? To really experience, the feeling of gratitude is to bring a mindset of abundance and wealth into manifestation.
The Art Of Gratitude
Start by writing a “gratitude journal”: at the end of each day, write down 10 things that you are grateful for. Do this every evening, and within one month you will have written evidence of 300 things you are grateful for!
When you start to feel grateful for every little thing in your life, from the miracle of running water to electricity, to your fridge, to gasoline for your car, a warm house, clothes to wear, food to eat and a bed to sleep with blankets to keep you warm, you will find hope. When you consider your friends, family, and community, to the beauty of nature in a leaf or a twig, to the smile of a stranger and the embrace of a loved one, you can find comfort in the feelings of gratitude and your outlook can and will change for the better. Miracles of wealth, abundance, and healing occur when we make gratitude the cornerstone of our existence. Try it for one month, and document the results, noticing any changes in how you feel about yourself and your journey through this world.
Mindfulness
Another powerful tool to help you keep your attention on each moment as you live it is mindfulness. Paying full and close attention to what you are doing, at the moment, as you are doing it, will keep you in a state of connectedness, both to yourself and simultaneously to all of life. The master of mindfulness, Thich Nhat Hanh, speaks eloquently about how all things are interconnected. Thus, our practice can and does affect the whole. We can change the world, by changing ourselves, one mindful step at a time.
To Sum Up
By making simple changes to our mindset, by practicing gratitude and mindfulness on a moment-by-moment basis, we will increase our own happiness levels, build inner resilience, and develop a greater sense of well-being, helping us to navigate through these transitional times with hope, grace, and a stronger sense of possibility.
– Scott Blessing