What to do If the World Feels Scary
Some days the world feels big and too close with threats of war, sickness, and the upending life as we know it. When everyone you encounter has the same anxieties towards the scary situation, the result can be a stifling mixture of fear, stress, and numbness. Here are some tips when the world feels scary:
Take time to feel the feelings but do not let them take over. Annie F. Downs recently said in an Instagram story “my feelings can ride, they can’t drive” perfectly summing up this tip. I know though, that the hard part is doing. Hopefully the remainder of the steps will give some practical insight into things to do to not let our feelings take over.
Educate yourself so that you will not be blindsided by fear-mongering or false statements. Some people like feeling like they know things and jump to outlandish conclusions. They then share that information as if it is fact, provoking fear in people who do not know about the situation. Think back to the toilet paper debacle at the beginning of the pandemic. People heard from others that no toilet paper was going to be available so when people did see it they bought way more than necessary! In hindsight, we know that was not completely true. The lack of toilet paper in stores was not because it was unavailable but people were stocking up out of fear so there was not enough to go around! I have found that if I am updated on situations with correct information I am less likely to let other people’s fear invade my peace or make me act out in fear. No click-bait news article, loudmouth posts, or uneducated people can steal my peace when I am correctly educated. The truth is almost always less terrifying or extreme than the rumors.
Log out of the constant stream of information. I know this may seem contrasting to tip number 2 but I am suggesting boundaries with news, not cutting it off altogether. You do not need to constantly be updating your phone for new information. It’s possible to be educated without being overwhelmed. Compare a couple of articles from different reliable sources and go about your merry way!
Do what is in front of you. When fear is imminent and your stomach is in knots the last thing on your mind is maybe doing homework or finishing a project but keeping busy can distract you from the scary thing. It can also be a good way to channel your feelings to keep them from taking over! Doing the next thing of regular life gives you control over your feelings and your life instead of letting fear run the show.
Being a human can be scary because as much as we want to think are independent islands, we do in fact bump up against each other. When the whole world is affected by the same crises, the fear and anxiety can be hard to cut through. But by not letting feelings run the show, being educated, maintaining boundaries, and doing the next right thing we can fight for peace in our little corners of the world.
