This article is written by “Guest Author” Shweta Vaidya |
“Stillness, and calmness, are found in peace that is achieved, after chaos.” |
Imagine waking up to a world where countless people have perished in one day. Next, imagine watching businesses shutting down and cities clearing off the streets to keep everyone safe indoors. And finally, imagine checking your phone to see the news of countries banning any travel for at least a month.
Paint sure paints a pretty picture, doesn’t it? But that is what the world has become. And it can be a little morbid to think that, but the reality in most cases isn’t pretty.
“When everything around you seems to be falling to pieces,
Shweta Vaidya
finding stillness is all it seems we can do, to keep from falling apart.”
While a few of us are lucky enough to sit in the comfort of a sheltered home, most are battling it out on the streets with no income and hardly any chance of survival. The world is falling apart, and it will take time for all of us to come together, to heal each other, and to remember all those lost. Until then, despite the chaos, the only thing we can do inside our home is to find inner peace.
What does ‘Calm’ have to do with ‘Chaos’?
Being calm isn’t just a reassurance for us to avoid a panic. It is a state of being; one which possessing can completely transform us from the inside out. And in today’s time, we need it more than ever.
As more and more frustration rises with us being cooped up inside, the Earth has found a way to thrive; back to the original glory. And if our planet can do it, why not us? We have shelter, we have running water and food, and even if we can’t socialize physically, we can do it digitally. So what is stopping us from being our ‘best self’ in this current crisis?
There are dozens of ‘ways to get productive’ and ‘hacks to help’, written and published to encourage us during these difficult times. But what we need is a little stillness. A chance for our brain to play ‘catch-up’ and help us process what we see and feel, before taking action.
Create your ‘Serenity’
What calms you down? What are you doing that brings you peace? Meditation and yoga are helpful as they are popular, but they are also not everyone’s cup of tea.
So, as you check up on your loved ones, watch the news, feed the family, catch up on your meetings and finish your work; take time off to do something that truly disconnects your mind from your body. It could be a relaxing bath, painting, journaling, dancing to music, or simply cleaning and organizing your room in as many ways as you can; just do it!
Mental health is now a priority for us as we get used to the new normal of spending most of our time indoors, and it can take a toll on all of us at some point. So, create a ritual, a routine, a habit, or an activity that grounds and centers you, helps you think rationally and coherently, and which allows you to mull over all the activities of the day without imploding.
Because chaos isn’t just on the outside, it is in our home and our mind. And figuring out what helps us cope, fight, and thrive in today’s reality is something a lot of us can work towards.
So, do what makes you happy, and experiment with all the ‘self-help’ articles and ‘productivity’ videos you can watch. But most importantly, don’t forget to give yourself a break.
And remember to breathe. This too shall pass, and we will all come out of this all skilled all the more, and hopefully a lot more level-headed as well.
We look forward to seeing more of the wonderful content Shweta will contribute. Shweta Vaidya is an esteemed guest author of Olivia “Grace” Friedman |On Thrive Global | Thrive On Campus from Pepperdine Caruso Law School. We hope you enjoy reading her articles, she is simply brilliant!
Feel free to visit Shweta’s profile here on Thrive | Shweta Vaidya
We look forward to seeing more of the wonderful content Shweta will contribute. Shweta Vaidya is an esteemed guest author of Olivia “Grace” Friedman |On Thrive Global | Thrive On Campus from Pepperdine Caruso Law School.