Disappointment and tough days
Today might be a tough day for you. I've just returned from traveling abroad, and while I'm happy to be home, 'home' feels like things have shifted, and I'm not sure I like what's coming. Election results were incredibly disappointing, not just for me but for 48% of the country. We're headed into four years of uncertainty and challenges.
Friends have been calling and texting to welcome me home, and the conversation quickly shifted to reactions to this latest news: sadness, disappointment, anger, frustration, fear, and even rage. It's a sense of irretrievable loss with no way of going back.
A first step might be to process our grief and the loss of hope for a more human-centered and just culture in the next four years. There’s also the worry over the democratic process, future safety, as well as environmental concerns. We don't know what will happen, but signs today are not hopeful.
Given that we're facing this new potential reality, what can we do? It's easy to get pulled into the stories of drama, fear, and catastrophe. But if we take a breath and reflect, what's the best use of our energy right now, this very minute? How can we reconnect with ourselves and our sense of power?
How could you nurture yourself, in an act of self-care?
How might you connect with someone and let them know that you're there and you care for them?
How might going for a walk and appreciating whatever is around you feel?
Who needs your help these days?
How might you reconnect with your sense of play today to allow for some breathing room and reduce the heaviness?
What's one small thing you could do around your house that you've been avoiding that you would love to cross off your list?
As I read the news, I started looking for another more helpful perspective. Looking at Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey, could today be a new call to adventure (or journey)? The end of normal has happened and there's no going back.
'We must let go of the life we have planned in order to accept the one that is waiting for us'. — Joseph Campbell
We've all faced all sorts of challenges in the past and have found ways to cope with them. Some have even helped us become better versions of ourselves. So, a few additional questions to ponder as you process today's news:
What can you do?
What door is open to you?
What is one small step you might take today to restore a sense of power and possibility?
What unique gifts are hiding inside of you that you might bring forward to help create the future you want to see?
“Things are impossible until they are not” — Jean-Luc Picard
Somewhere between Greenland and Northern Canada