Like many of you, I am holding the people of Ukraine in my heart this week, as well as those Russians who are bravely protesting Putin’s war. It has been heartbreaking to hear the personal accounts of the people on the ground who are frightened for their lives, their children’s lives, their pets, their loved ones, their homeland. As a psychotherapist, I watch it unfold with the knowledge that a traumatic event of this magnitude, changes the psyche of those experiencing it forever.
Coming, as it does, on the heels of a relentless pandemic and global warming events, a war with the potential consequences of this one feels like a tipping point to many. We’re exhausted, anxious, and sad. And so, I point you this week towards gratitude, mindfulness, and hope, as pillars of strength and resiliency. Along with spending time with loved ones, they have been my go-to’s whenever I need a lift.
Gratitude: When things are dark, it’s important to search for light wherever you can, no matter how small. A beautiful flower, a sunset, a visit with a friend, a hug from your child, a smile. Finding time, even if only five minutes a day, to dwell on gratitude for the things we have, is a way to shift oneself into a positive mind-set. No matter how bleak things seem, there is always something to be grateful for.
Mindfulness: The practice of mindfulness, is very helpful in terms of concentrating on your breath, or whatever activity you are engaged in at that present moment. In this way, you can push unhappy or unhelpful thoughts aside and live fully in the experience of that moment. For me, mindfulness has been very helpful when needing to pull my anxious mind away from “what-ifs?” I can sit with the knowledge that, in this moment of time, me and my family are safe. That indeed is something to be grateful for.
The great Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, offers many helpful strategies for practicing mindfulness in his book, “The Miracle of Mindfulness.”*
“During such times, one’s mind is inevitably distracted by other thoughts, and so if one really wanted to keep one’s consciousness alive, then one must practice right now in one’s daily life, not only during meditation sessions.”
-Thich Nhat Hanh
Hope: Finally, as I searched for a message of hope to share with you, I grabbed for my copy of “The Hill We Climb.”**
“We’ve seen a force that would shatter our
nation rather than share it,
Would destroy our country if it meant
delaying democracy.
And this effort very nearly succeeded.
But while democracy can be periodically
delayed,
It can never be permanently defeated.
In this truth, in this faith, we trust.
For while we have our eyes on the future,
History has its eyes on us.”
-Amanda Gorman
Be well, and move forward this week in peace.
***
Disclaimer:
Neither the publisher nor the author are engaged in rendering advice or services to the individual reader. The ideas, procedures, and suggestions continued in this blog are not intended as a substitute for consulting with a licensed mental health and or child development advisor. All matters regarding the health and development of your child require professional supervision. Neither the author nor the publisher shall be liable or responsible for any loss or damage allegedly arising from any information or suggestions in this blog.
*Hanh, Thich Nhat. “The Miracle of Mindfulness.” Translated by Mobi Ho. Beacon Press, Boston Massachusetts. www.beacon.org.**
**Gorman, Amanda. “The Hill We Climb: an Inaugural Poem for the Country.” Viking Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC New York. 2021.