8 Ways to Stay Sane in a Crazy World

 

There are times when this crazy world can get the best of us. There’s COVID and unemployment, business shut-downs and shelters-in-place, political clashes and divisiveness, wars and poverty. If you need a break from it all, read on for 8 great tips on how to stay sane in a crazy world!

8 Ways to Stay Sane in a Crazy World

1. Carve Out “You” Time—Taking as little as 15 to 30 minutes a day for yourself is a game changer! Use this time to take a contemplative walk, meditate, pray, exercise…to do whatever brings you peace and joy. If possible, take this “you time” first thing in the morning to start your day in a calm, grounded, and peaceful manner.
2. Practice Gratitude—Throughout the day, focus on the positives in your life. Include everything that is going well and anything that brings you joy. Your gratitudes can be big, like a job promotion or a bucket list vacation, or as small as a warm cup of tea. Studies have shown when you’re feeling genuinely grateful, it’s impossible to at the same time experience any negative emotion (including fear!) As an added bonus, researchers have found that gratitude is strongly associated with greater happiness.
3. Do Something Fun—Most of us don’t take enough time for play. Our days are filled with things we ‘have’ to do—go to work, attend a workshop, cook dinner, clean the house, help the kids with homework—the list goes on and on. Those things may be important, but taking time to disconnect and do something that makes you happy is equally important. Having fun brings joy into your life and can help carry you through stressful times.
4.  Perform a Random Act of Kindness—This is a time when many people need help. There’s opportunity for kindness in every encounter, and it doesn’t have to be time-consuming or expensive to make a difference. Sometime a smile, a kind word, a kind deed is exactly what’s needed. You could also bake cookies for a friend in need, pick up groceries for someone who is unable to get out, and support your colleague’s new idea. Your act of kindness could make all the difference in someone’s life…and it will make you feel good to boot!
5.  Stay Positive—Yes, it’s possible, even in today’s crazy world! How do you achieve this positive mindset? By looking for the positives in every situation. Sometimes they are easy to find; other times it takes some digging. When you encounter a negative situation, turn it into a game to look for a positive. For example, if you are feeling restless from too many months spent inside, think about the positives the situation created. Have you completed home projects, accomplished more goals, and/or connected with family and friends on Zoom?
6.  Indulge in a Hobby—Research indicates hobbies are beneficial to your mental health. So indulge in a current hobby or find something new that appeals to you. Read a novel or learn how to cook an exotic food. Go hiking, biking, or kayaking. Learn to knit, bake bread, or make wine. Finding an activity you enjoy will boost your mood, increase your contentment, and lower your stress levels.
7.  Turn Off the News—There’s nothing new to hear! These days the news is an incessant repeat of fear-based information. Everyone knows the media sells based on fear, however, nothing good comes from a steady dose of distress. As the beloved Star Wars character Yoda said, “Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.” So turn off the TV, put down your phone, and use your newly found time to complete one or more items from this list.
8.  Make Wellness a Priority—When things get crazy, it’s easy to push wellness aside. Who has the time for yoga, cooking nutritious meals, and getting extra sleep? It’s a Catch-22 because crazy times are when you most need to prioritize wellness. According to the Mayo Clinic, exercise of virtually any kind can help relieve stress. If you don’t have time to cook, try a super-food smoothie. And don’t forget about sleep. Most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep to function effectively. Sleep impacts mood, immune function, metabolism, memory, and other vital functions. Making time for wellness will help you feel your best—mentally, physically, and spiritually.

Finally, be sure to check in with yourself every morning. Ask what it is that you need to feed your soul…and make sure you listen to your inner voice!

This blog was written by Sedona Hutton, author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction blended with new age spirituality. 

Restart in Bristol, A Racing Hearts in Serenity Romance—He’s a hot mess. She wants stability. Will these childhood sweethearts risk another pass at love? Kindle: https://amzn.to/37cCw1b. Audiobook: https://adbl.co/3hgKZpF.

The Perfect Lap, A Racing Hearts in Serenity Romance—2019 Reader’s Favorite Contemporary Romance Finalist: His job is to drive fast. Hers is to put the brakes on him. When sparks fly, will love cross the finish line? Kindle: https://amzn.to/2VkXIkv. Audiobook: https://adbl.co/2WAsOnp.

Nora’s Promise, A Racing Hearts in Serenity Romance— Reader's Favorite 2019 Contemporary Romance Bronze winner and 2019 NIEA Bronze winner: She trusts animals more than men. He races through women like checkered flags. Can one orphaned boy bring them both to the finish line? Kindle: https://amzn.to/384lB1f . Audiobook: https://amzn.to/2OktquX.

To sign up for my Peace, Love, & Joy blog newsletter, please click here: https://www.sedonahutton.com/. I blog once a month, and I never send spam!

 

Recommended Reading:

The Success Principles by Jack Canfield: https://amzn.to/39SgKSt

The Secret by Rhonda Byrne: https://amzn.to/2GwSGJc

The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire by Deepak Chopra: https://amzn.to/2C9BF5k

Disclosure: The above links to recommended books are affiliate links. If you buy the book through these links, I receive a small commission on the sale. I’ve recommended these books because they’ve been meaningful to me personally and not because of the affiliate program. However, from a legal perspective, I need to identify these as affiliate links.

Photo by Gian Cescon on Unsplash

Forgiveness—An Overlooked Practice that Delivers Significant Benefits

Forgiveness is a common theme in my novels because it’s an often overlooked practice that delivers great benefits.

When someone we care about hurts us, it’s natural to feel angry and resentful, and to carry a grudge against the offender. However, these upsets can leave lasting impressions of bitterness that impact our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual well-being.

Ironically, if you don’t practice forgiveness, you are the one who suffers the most.

Embracing forgiveness allows us to experience peace, love, joy, and hope. Forgiveness doesn’t mean you agree with whatever occurred or that you want to make up with the person who caused you harm. It does, however, provide you with a sense of peace that allows you to move on.  

How does one go about forgiving? A model by psychologist Robert Enright outlines four steps. The first is to identify your anger and any ways you have avoided your emotions. The second step is to simply make the decision to forgive. A good place to begin is by acknowledging that ignoring or muddling through with the offense hasn’t worked and that forgiveness is a path forward.

Third, develop compassion for the person who hurt you. Ponder whether the act was due to ill intent or whether it was due to beliefs, circumstances, and/or conditioning in the offender’s life. Finally, release any lingering harmful emotions and consider how you may have grown from the act of forgiveness.

According to the Mayo Clinic, letting go of grudges and bitterness can create improved overall health and peace of mind. Benefits of forgiveness include:

·        Healthier relationships

·        Improved mental health

·        Less anxiety, stress, and hostility

·        Lower blood pressure

·        Fewer symptoms of depression

·        A stronger immune system

·        Improved heart health

·        Improved self-esteem

While forgiveness isn’t always easy, it brings about significant health benefits and a sense of peace that helps you move forward in your life.

“Forgiveness is not always easy. At times it feels more painful than the wound we suffered, to forgive the one that inflicted it. And yet, there is no peace without forgiveness.”—Marianne Williamson

  

Forgiveness Excerpts from the Racing Hearts in Serenity Series:

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From Restart in Bristol:

Holly leaned back in her chair, pondering Skye’s wisdom. If Skye could forgive Brad, maybe it was time for Holly to forgive, too. She had a lot of forgiveness to contemplate. Maybe she needed to forgive her parents for not understanding her needs as a child and for not giving her more security. She needed to forgive both Curtis and herself for the deep hurt they had caused each other. If they could move beyond the pain of their breakup, maybe they would create space for something new.

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From The Perfect Lap:

Last week in church, Ella’s minister had talked about forgiveness. Pastor Sue had indicated that holding onto hurt and resentment harms the person holding the negative feelings more than the alleged violator. As a believer in the Law of Attraction, Ella understood that when she felt angry and resentful, she was putting out negative vibrations which attracted more of the same.

It was time for her to let go of her bitterness toward Dierks. He clearly hadn’t been the man for her, so why was she wasting her precious energy on negative thoughts and feelings toward him? She supposed it was a long-held habit, but she was ready to let go of the toxicity.

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This blog was written by Sedona Hutton, author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction blended with new age spirituality. 

Restart in Bristol, A Racing Hearts in Serenity Romance—He’s a hot mess. She wants stability. Will these childhood sweethearts risk another pass at love? https://amzn.to/37cCw1b

The Perfect Lap, A Racing Hearts in Serenity Romance—2019 Reader’s Favorite Contemporary Romance Finalist: His job is to drive fast. Hers is to put the brakes on him. When sparks fly, will love cross the finish line? https://amzn.to/2VkXIkv

Nora’s Promise, A Racing Hearts in Serenity Romance— Reader's Favorite 2019 Contemporary Romance Bronze winner and 2019 NIEA Bronze winner: She trusts animals more than men. He races through women like checkered flags. Can one orphaned boy bring them both to the finish line? https://amzn.to/2OktquX

To sign up for Sedona’s Peace, Love, & Joy blog newsletter, please click here: https://www.sedonahutton.com/ …No spam—ever!

Recommended Reading:

The Success Principles by Jack Canfield: https://amzn.to/39SgKSt

The Secret by Rhonda Byrne: https://amzn.to/2GwSGJc

The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire by Deepak Chopra: https://amzn.to/2C9BF5k

Disclosure: The above links to recommended books are affiliate links. If you buy the book through these links, I receive a small commission on the sale. I’ve recommended these books because they’ve been meaningful to me personally and not because of the affiliate program. However, from a legal perspective, I need to identify these as affiliate links.