Finding Joy in the Chaos

Over the past few years, there has been many chaotic moments which have taken over the news cycle.  From unnecessary deaths to shifts in the political realm,  Many of these moments don't directly affect us meaning they aren't necessarily on our doorsteps, but most of them have an indirect impact on our thoughts, perspectives, and emotions. 

I am a feeler.  No matter how much I try to condition myself to feel less, I still feel.  I still feel pain for others even when I am not the one suffering.  I am a thinker too.  I find myself pondering the why and questioning what my natural eyes can't see.  I've come to realize that all that we see is merely a symptom of the things which we can't see.  There's always something deeper.

So here we are at another moment of chaos in a country where half of the people aren't feeling or acknowledging the pain of the other half.  How do we as feelers or those who are suffering emotionally rather than physically still manage to find joy when tears are often at the verge of spilling over?

• Release the floodgates.  A good cry and acknowledgement of the pain can be the release you need to get back into your life.  The other night I had no idea that I was in so much pain until I got into the shower and all the tears came out.  It was a release that I needed.  In that moment,  I knew that my tears were a prayer. I cried a good cry, and I felt a ton lighter.  My mind was clearer so that I could move on to the next step.
• Acknowledge the pain.  We aren't asked to walk as zombies when the things around us become chaotic.  There is freedom in sharing your feelings whether through prayer or within a trusted circle.  I prayed first.  I didn't pray a beautiful prayer with all the right words either.  My prayer mostly consisted of asking the Father to not allow my heart to be changed to one of this world.  I recognize that when people are hurting, I can become really angry at the one(s) who are causing the pain.  I don't want that anger to change me into the things that I hate.  After praying, I shared my feelings with my family.  I sometimes need to hear things aloud to move through them.  I am grateful that I have a family I can be honest with and who can be honest with me.
• Connect back into your own life.  This doesn't mean hiding under a rock and acting as if things are not happening in society.  Connecting back into your own life means making sure that your own bubble is not in chaos.  If your family is in chaos, what good are you to a bigger cause?  We must make sure those in front of us are doing well or we won't have a safe place to rest when things become worse.  As a former military wife and stay at home mom,  I know the value in making sure that your home life is good standing.  Our homes are our havens, and they are the only places where we have some control of the thermostat. 
• Take a moment to breathe.  Change is not a sprint just like everything else in life, true change will take lots of hard work.  If we want to be a catalyst for change, we have to make sure that we are taking care of ourselves.  This means unplugging from the news cycle, social media, and any friends who want to constantly remind you of the chaos.  Since change is not a sprint, we must be well-rested to handle whatever lands at our feet.  The enemy does well when his opponent is tired and has no fight left.

Being honest with yourself is the first step to finding joy in the midst of chaos.  When we free ourselves from the burden of having to keep a smile on our faces for the sake of the smile, we are not only opening the door to experience the not so great feelings, but also the good things that are happening around us.  In the midst of chaos, good is happening too even if it doesn't feel like it right away. 

Do you need help getting out of your head and encouragement to take care of yourself and those around you?  Download my Embrace Your Life Calendar.  The Embrace Your Life monthly calendar is a self-care calendar that comes in handy for times like this whether the chaos in your life is created by things outside of your control or from you taking on too many responsibilities at once it can help you to stay in tune with the life you've been given to live.