Thank you for being here today.
My name is Janice Marie.
In these scary and crazy times,
It's easy to feel out of sorts anxious and overwhelmed and confused and simply just feel plain defeated.
Every day there's something else that challenges what we believe and the values we hold dear.
I've heard from others who are feeling the same way and I have felt that way too.
I don't know what to do.
I feel so lost.
I don't know what I can do.
These are common things I hear and I have even asked myself.
When there is so much out of our control,
It's difficult to know what to do.
I have to remind myself what is in my control.
What can I do to help myself and have any impact on what's going on around me?
What can I do to reflect my values and my beliefs?
Threats and assaults to our values,
Beliefs,
Ethics,
And personal freedom can put the sympathetic nervous system in fight,
Flight,
Or freeze response.
Symptom of rapid heart rate,
Heightened anxiety,
Difficulty sleeping,
And agitation over time can cause problems to our physical system and our mental health.
Over time,
These assaults and threats,
When they don't subside,
Can take a physical toll like high blood pressure,
Heart issues,
Diabetes,
Obesity,
Depleted energy,
And mental health issues like depression and anxiety.
It makes so much sense why we struggle to get out of bed each day.
Being in bed can make us feel safe and comforting,
But over time can increase depression and our feeling badly about ourselves and our contribution around us.
It contributes to feeling less in control and empowered in our own lives.
What I'm going to suggest may seem silly,
But it can help with building back our lives.
Think about the things that are important to you and what brings you joy and something you would like to do.
If these questions I just asked feel overwhelming,
Think about what you have liked to do that brought you happiness and joy in the past,
What you used to do when you were a child that made you feel happy and joyous and made you feel even competent and empowered,
Like you could conquer the world.
If this is something you would like to pursue,
Then write down one small step that you can take to help you towards that goal.
Do that one step until it's accomplished or when you have mastered it.
For example,
Say painting is something you used to love to do and you would like to start painting again,
But maybe this just seems really overwhelming.
Maybe the one step you can take is finding your paints and taking them out of wherever they are.
When that's accomplished,
You may take another small step,
Like finding your brushes,
Setting up your medium,
Or anything else that would help you take another step towards getting back into painting.
Just one small step at a time.
Something else that I like to do when I'm feeling really overwhelmed and unfocused is I like to find affirmations or quotes that make me feel good,
That resonate with me,
That can make me think differently or make me feel more empowered.
When I find these affirmations,
I will write them down on colorful paper or maybe using colorful pens and put them up strategically in places that I can see them on a regular basis.
One of my favorite quotes that I write,
Have written on sticky notes and things like that,
Is,
Quote,
Where focus goes,
Energy flows.
And this reminds me of where my thoughts are and where they tend to go.
Are they going down a negative path or are they going to a more positive place?
I'm going to make some other suggestions just to see if you can feel that strength of empowerment and joy again,
Which is so important for us to get back on our feet and to feel like we have control in our lives.
Again,
These may seem silly,
But they may be worthwhile.
One suggestion is work on a hobby that you love and has meaning for you.
Pay something forward to somebody,
Somebody you don't know.
Kindness benefits the giver as well as the receiver.
Donate time,
Money,
Or energy to a cause that you believe in.
Join a club or take a course in something that interests you.
This could be online or in person.
Read a book or even read a banned book.
Say yes to things you may have said no to,
If they align with your values.
Smile at someone you pass by today.
Smiling changes the chemistry in our brains and creates positive emotion for both involved.
Plant a native plant in a pot or a garden to help pollinators.
This is a huge step towards reducing the negative impact of climate change on our planet.
Work on your physical and or emotional health.
Volunteer somewhere that has meaning for you.
Try something new that you've never done before.
Learn to meditate.
Make a nice meal for yourself.
Practice random acts of kindness.
They can go a long way.
There are a ton more that can be added to this list.
Do what you can to build your spirit.
Bloom where you are planted.
As we do positive things that are meaningful to us,
We will start feeling more empowered and feel that we can make positive contributions to our lives and to the world around us.
Thank you for being here today.
I so appreciate you showing up for this.
It's tough out there.
We need to hang together.
Have a wonderful and empowering day.
Namaste.
