Freaking Out, Generally Well

It’s possible my friend group is not a statistically valid sample of people in general. That said, a lot of people I know seem more prone to freaking out these days than they have been before. The elephant is the election (vote today please).

But also, change of seasons is always a thing. And the  past couple of months, maybe more, have been alarming weather-wise.

I’m like, “Why is it so hot, so rainy, so hot again, and now cold? Why is the news telling me watch out for floods? What does that even mean?

How am I supposed to consciously manifest my best life ever with joy and abundance for all when it’s clear that there are more bugs this month than before, and I think it’s probably because of the weather, and the weather is getting worse not better, and then - yes - politics, war, pesticides, viruses, A.I. doomsday, and and and and and. That spiral would be so easy to let run in the background.

But if I let the freak out voice run unchecked then every little thing piles on this baseline hum of fear and dread which makes it much harder to show up how I want to show up for myself and others. Much harder. I want to show up as the person I am — which is generally well, and not freaking out.

So lovingly, consciously, firmly I tell myself, “Stop it.” I take a deep breath. And then I decide to notice that right now it is actually rather temperate and dry. Right now Brownie the Goldendoodle is sacked out on my lap which feels lovely.

The supply trucks are coming through unimpeded with my unflavored unsweetened soy milk of choice for my dark roast coffee that I get to make in my electric coffee maker — and the power is on!

And oh yeah, I’ve been without power before and survived. I’ve been in all kinds of scary situations and survived, even made precious memories the kind that crisis fosters.

So, yes I get to choose to enjoy this day of peacetime in my world. I get to make breakfast, get the kid to school, teach my senior fitness class, pay bills, buy groceries, clean house, do all the things - breakfast, lunch, dinner, dog walk, meeting, call peeps, verify homework, provide snack,  knowing - knowing that if and when whatever external thwack comes I’ll deal with it then. I get to do what I can, help how I can, not check out completely. But I’m not going to ruin today worrying about tomorrow. I’m gonna keep going.