Stay Calm! It’s Only A Crisis
Finding Calm In A World Of Chaos.
What to do in a crazy world.
How is your day going?
Did you check your phone, turn on the TV, look outside your window, or walk downtown?
If you did, you likely saw that chaos is everywhere.
However, you probably didn’t acknowledge it because we are getting so used to it, that it’s starting to seem normal.
Another political debate, another war, or another school shooting. These things used to scare us, but now we just scroll an inch further down to see someone dancing to a new catchy song instead.
Being calm when there is chaos may seem insensitive, or borderline impossible, however, it’s the right thing to do.
I want to explain why.
With chaos going on every day, all around us, how do we know what is a crisis anyways?
The media wants to enrage us purposely to get our attention, make us click their link, and watch their TV channel for an extra 30 seconds. Can we really tell the difference between what matters and what is just blown out of proportion?
Most can’t, but it is in our best interest to be aware of major world events, and remain calm throughout.
Are we in a crisis?
Are We Really In A Crisis?
To answer this question is not hard. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest news happening in today’s world. I apologize ahead of time for the negativity overload.
Ukraine vs Russia:
It’s been over a year that Ukraine and Russia have been at war. We’ve seen the threat of Nuclear weapons, sanctions upon sanctions, and hundreds of thousands dead.
More recently, Finland got added to NATO and we are told Ukraine will be too if they defeat Russia. The tensions are high. The potential for World War 3 is closer than ever.
New Currency?
BRICS just announced they’re going to start their own currency. That means the US dollar could potentially shift away from being the dominant global reserve currency.
That would lead to the US dollar value dropping, which would mean interest rates rise more.
This could also mean that BRICS countries would invest more in trade with each other, at the expense of the US dollar.
All of this means more tension between China and the US, added to the tension that’s already there due to the possibility of China invading Taiwan. Chaos.
Division In People
Everyone has different opinions. That sounds good and natural, but it is now creating a lot of division among people.
On top of that, people are not open to conflicting opinions anymore. If we are in search of the truth, we have to be open to the fact that we might be wrong.
We see the debate of religion, political views, pro-choice or pro-life, and numerous other ideologies and opinions. We are letting these things divide humanity and create hatred instead of love.
Polarizing views amplified by the media have enraged people against each other. They approach others with a closed mind and a closed heart. This is a crisis.
Climate Change
Whether you believe in climate change or not, the policies affect us. We are seeing additional taxes being added to our already high taxes, in order to combat climate change.
If you believe in climate change, as most people do, then we see our climate changing and it feels like there isn’t much we can do. With the water levels rising and the planet heating up, the question is can we reverse it on time?
Many would say we are in a climate crisis.
Mental Health
A decline in overall mental health has been happening for years, but with the recent lockdowns, we saw suicides and depression sky rocket.
We are constantly overloaded with information about who we should be, what’s wrong, another war (sorry), and so on. The cost of living is going up, but the average rate isn’t at the same pace. The number of stressful life events seems to be rising, people are more lonely, and to the next point, drug abuse is rising.
Drug Abuse
We see it in many cities around North America. The increase in drug addiction and drug abuse is right in our faces. We’ve seen it for quite a while, and can’t seem to get a hold of it.
Many cities have meth crises or fentanyl crises. We see fentanyl pouring in across the border and to be honest, it’s kind of scary.
In 2022 alone, the DEA seized enough fentanyl to kill the entire population in the USA. What percentage do you think got through?
We have a drug crisis on our hands.
Why Should We Stay Calm?
Life Is Ups and Downs
The world constantly has up and downs, just like our lives. Things get bad, and things get good. It has always been like that.
Look at the times with the most prosperity. It was normally following a recession. Humans recover, and they recover strongly.
Without darkness, there can be no light. We must realize that we have to have good things, in order to have bad things. Take everything with moderation - the good and the bad.
Decision Making
We make better decisions when we are calm. This is one of the reasons why meditation is so important. If you can understand your mind, gain control and keep calm, you will make better decisions.
Look at how NASA trains their astronauts. They put them through rigorous, repetitive, stressful training. That way, they can stay calm and make the best decisions throughout their missions.
Life is nothing but a series of decisions.
Want a better life? Learn to make better decisions, especially in times of chaos.
Opportunity
Whenever there is a crisis, there is opportunity. Just take a look at the past.
In 2008 when the markets crashed, there were some who took advantage. They bought properties at a massive discount, they bought stocks from strong companies that dropped, and guess what… they prospered from it.
If you remain calm during a crisis, you will be able to more easily spot these opportunities and benefit instead of suffering.
Perspective
When we panic, things seem worse than they are. If there is chaos all around us, panicking will only make it worse. By controlling our emotions and staying calm, life will still be okay.
Nassim Taleb talks of domesticating your emotions, not eliminating them. You’re allowed to be upset, and you’re allowed to be sad, but panicking will not result in the best outcome.
Allow yourself to feel, and then stay calm and allow trust yourself to remain in control.
Humans Survive
Look at all the challenges humans have faced in the past. We’ve faced many in recent history. Everything from world wars, the great depression, the cold war, the civil rights movement, and the global financial crisis.
Humans have continued to survive, continued to figure out solutions and come out with better conditions than we started with.
We need to have faith in humanity. That is a good reason to stay calm.
It’s important to acknowledge that the world is in a time of chaos.
We have several crises on our hands and to ignore them would be irresponsible.
However, panicking is not the right reaction. To properly come out better than we started, we must remain calm and make the appropriate decisions.
Crises can cause division among people.
Remember, everyone is entitled to their own opinion and an opinion is formed based on a lot of factors.
Everyone grew up differently, around different people, and with different genetics. How something affects one, is different from it affects you. That doesn’t mean you need to agree with everyone, but it does mean you shouldn’t hate them.
Respect their opinion, and if needed, explain yours.
Debate is good. That is how we find the truth after all.
Disagreement is only productive if you are open to being wrong and in search of the truth.
If someone approaches a disagreement differently, it’s probably not about you. It’s okay to walk away, and it’s okay to let them have their own beliefs, no matter how different they are than yours.
At the end of the day, you need to choose love, for the good of humanity, and for the good of your sanity. With love in all of our hearts, good will prosper.
Thanks for reading! Please share your thoughts and opinions below.
Be Love
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