There’s no trying to sugarcoat it: The world has a lot of ugliness going on right now, and many people are finding themselves in ruts they never knew could exist. We’ve all had to adapt to a number of changes, some not everyone has agreed with, and the world has become divided in ways that have left many of us feeling blindsided and powerless.
With all we’ve endured over the past few years, it’s no wonder so of us have struggled to find balance in our lives. We’d be unrealistic to walk around wearing rose-tinted glasses, but we don’t serve ourselves any better by allowing the dark pits out there to swallow us whole. Balance requires as broad as possible of a perspective, which sometimes requires us to take a step back from where we currently stand.
Choose Your Battles
No single person can take on every last one of the world’s evils. There’s a lot of darkness to fight out there—but remember: For every monster making life harder for the little guy, there’s also an altruist who desperately wants to make things better. Be a part of the good, but not at the cost of your own well-being.
Pick a cause. Let your heart lead you to it. Understand that others are feeling driven to put their energy into causes of their own; they need to choose their battles, too. Just because they don’t hop onto your bandwagon, that doesn’t mean they don’t care about the issue. Each of us must do our best to exercise patience, with others and ourselves. We’re all trying to feel our way through the current times, and the divide is already wide enough.
Do Something Meaningful
Part of surviving difficult times is finding ways to improve the world so others don’t have to face the same hardships. Doing something meaningful makes all that burden amount to something, so those tears and difficulties weren’t all for nothing.
What great evil affects your life the most? Why not find some solutions? You don’t have to solve the problem overnight, but it might be worth your while to find at least some way to pursue realistic change. Don’t like what others are suggesting? Get brainstorming! Your ideas might start something completely new and important, improving countless other lives along with your own.
Accept That the World Has Changed
The world is probably never going to be what it was before the pandemic hit, and much of what we’re currently experiencing is far from better than it was. Here’s the kicker, though: The changes are still taking place, and we can choose to take new, better directions moving forward.
No matter which side of the political lines we stand, we can all agree that we’d been (and really, we choose to continue) clinging to broken systems. And no matter where you live in the world, inequity is likely a prominent issue. Change and strife are everywhere. However, as painful as life can be, we might consider what we’re currently undergoing to be growing pains. It’s up to us to help find real, useable solutions to persisting problems.
There’s always a solution, but it might take a little work to realize. Maybe it’s time to rebuild from the ground-up—together—and create a future worth fighting for?
Seek Out Beauty
For all that’s changed, just as much remains the same, and it’s up to us to find the blessings in it all. There’s definitely a lot of ugliness out there, but there’s still so much for us to appreciate as well.
Take a walk and stop to smell the roses—literally. Watch the sunrise or sunset. Find and learn the recipe for your favorite dish and remind yourself to take in the aromas of both the ingredients and the emerging meal. Dress up the home with flowers and craft projects. Fill your space with song. Whatever you choose, make it personal and let yourself be in the moment.
The world may feel like it’s fallen into a perpetual shadow, but now isn’t the time to lose hope. The pendulum never stops swinging. We might have tough times ahead, but they won’t last forever. Real change is possible as long as we’re realistic about the problems. We can’t fully address anything if we lose ourselves in the darkness—but we also can’t shield ourselves with blinders. Balance is the key. Just hold on a little longer; together, we will get through this.
Paper Shadows 