Principle #6 – Move to ACTION and Find Your Joy
I usually don’t write about politics, but with the violence unleashed in Washington, D.C., I can’t stay quiet. And, like you, I’m heartsick and angry that the rhetoric from our president has come to such violence. It’s been expected that he would become more unhinged as his presidency was coming closer to an end. But my gosh, his total disregard of our democracy is sickening and shameful. Trump, his lawmakers, and followers need to be held accountable for the riots on our democracy and the U.S. Capitol.
It has been so hard to find peace and joy during the last week or two. And when I do, it’s difficult to keep it. Something’s got to give…I have to take control over my emotions. So, I changed into my sweatpants and my “Bring the Joy” sweatshirt from Brendon Burchard’s Expert Academy, and I set out to find my joy.
Here’s what I found:
I started walking in my neighborhood and started grumbling when I saw my neighbor’s landscaping trailer taking up more than half of the street. Well, this isn’t helping my joy! Looking at the houses in the subdivision next to mine, some still had Christmas decorations up. Christmas seems so long ago, yet looking at the calendar, it was just 2 ½ weeks ago. I started thinking about the people that live in them. Were they supporters of the current president? Do they believe the same as he does? Can I even live in North Carolina anymore, knowing the majority of North Carolinians voted for Trump? I came to realize that these are the same people that have always lived here, and it’s their right to believe what they wish…even if I don’t agree or understand it.
Then I decided to take the high road, and I put on a big smile and waved to every car that passed by. And do you know the majority of people smiled and waved back? I told myself, this is really working…I was finding my joy with the connection of every smile and wave I received! This brought a piece of sunshine to my day, and maybe I even made a difference in their day!
Now the real question is, how do I keep this feeling during these troubling times? I usually don’t have a problem with being in my happy place, but now…oh boy!
“We may not agree or understand the chaos, but connecting with our universe helps us work through our thoughts and feelings so we can find peace and joy.” – Cindy Henson
We all have different feelings about what’s going on in our country, and we deal with them differently. I think the big thing is to “be” with these feelings by naming them so we can figure out how to move past them. It’s unhealthy for us when we deny or ignore them.
I read a blog that really resonated with me, on tinybuddah.com, Your Feelings Have Messages for You. It points out that most of us think of emotions as positive (e.g., happiness) or negative (e.g., anger). But emotions are just emotions. We need them all because all emotions are important. Also, how we react to these emotions are equally important. Are we using them constructively or destructively? They may be a message for us to pay attention to them to keep us from feeling stuck. It’s a fascinating way to look at emotions that makes total sense to me.
Needless to say, on my walk back through my neighborhood, I wasn’t bothered by the landscape trailer anymore. My body felt lighter, and I had a bounce in my step again. I’ve made a personal commitment to getting out for a walk every day because the joy I find while I’m walking feeds my heart and soul with joy.
I don’t know what else will happen with our current president and his followers, but I do know that I can’t let them have control over my emotions anymore. I can have hope that his dictatorship is almost over and that our country can move past this dark place.
My wish is for all of you to work through your emotions and to find your joy. We are all in this together, even though we may be in a different emotional place. We will be okay…I feel pretty confident about that. And when we have our joy, we can spread it to others.
As always, please protect yourself and others by getting your vaccine when it’s your turn. And continue wearing your facemask until Dr. Fauci tells us it’s okay to stop wearing them. Spread love and joy!
Freedom is possible!
Love,
Deb