I Choose to Stay Grounded Amidst External Chaos

Rooted in stillness: a journey through uncertainty

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I am human. You are human. Together, we make up humanity. That also means our individual beliefs might not coincide well, which brings external chaos that creates inner turmoil. In fact, it swirls around us in ways that can throw our inner peace out the door like a brisk wind suddenly blowing through our souls.

What do you do when you intend to stay grounded? Trust me, I am struggling with my inner peace, so I write this from a very experiential, personal perspective.

The first suggestion is to say the affirmation out loud, letting the words sink in. If necessary, say them out loud several times.

I choose to stay grounded amidst external chaos.

I used to think this practice was not effective, and then, while meeting with a therapist who taught me to embrace self-affirmations, she helped me realize how effective they can be. The reason for their effectiveness is that when you tell your mind, body, and soul a statement (preferably positive), you are doing a few things:

1. You affirm your existence as a human in this world.

2. You claim your existence, knowing you have a right to your inner peace.

3. You stay positive, loving, compassionate, and kind when challenges arise.

4. The more you tell yourself positive, affirming messages, the more your brain opens new neural pathways to solidify your self-confidence.

5. Self-affirmations create resilience within you and reduce the production of cortisol, the stress hormone. Being able to lower your cortisol levels is key to balancing physical and mental health.

In light of that evidence, I choose to stay grounded to protect my inner peace no matter what external chaos is happening. It’s not always easy.

I am human, and today, my humanity was tested. I had a bit of a meltdown. Unfortunately, I watched a video on social media that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up straight.

The first thing I vowed after watching that evil video was to claim my inner peace and stay off social media for as long as I need to. I also reached out to friends and loved ones to ask for prayer and to remind myself that I am not alone.

I know I am not alone, and, by the way, neither are you. Together, we choose to stay grounded amidst the external chaos. During this time, I will pull all the inner peace tools out of my toolbox to help me stay grounded.

I hope you will as well.

Tools I use

• Daily exercise: for me, it’s walking, yoga, and 5-minute dance sessions

• Meditation

• Deep breathing exercises

• Setting boundaries with conversations and people

• Not giving in to stress eating

• Being kind and compassionate to myself

My paraphrasing of a Panache Desai quote:

Your anxiety, sadness, discomfort, feeling overwhelmed, depression, restlessness, heaviness, and tears don’t make you less of a human being. It makes you more. More expansive. More connected. Painfully beautiful. Raw. Open. Completely alive, and completely human.

Reflection: As you think back on a time when the external chaos was knocking on the door of your inner peace (and not in a good way) what emotions were rising within you and how did you respond? What tools or practices helped you through that time? What tools or practices have you learned since that time that might help you?

Reassurance through affirmations: Have you used self-affirmations to guide you through your life? If so, journal about a time when they proved to be positive reinforcements. How did affirming your right to inner peace affect your interactions with others or your perception of external challenges? If you haven’t, journal about why you haven’t and what might happen if you did use affirmations as a guide for your mental health.

Your support system: Consider the people you reach out to when you need support. What about their presence helps you feel safe, seen, acknowledged, and loved? What about their character provides comfort, connection, and peace? How can you embody those characteristics for yourself or others?

When adversity strikes, that’s when you have to be the most calm. Take a step back, stay strong, stay grounded and press on. — Anonymous

May you find a steady presence that helps you stay grounded amidst external chaos and noise. May your humanity remind you that you are beautiful. May it also bring you comfort and strength, knowing you are part of the greater human story. May winds of chaos blow but never unearth you. And, in your moments of stillness, may you hear your own true Inner Voice, anchoring you to peace, no matter what else is going on around you.

May you know that you are loved because you matter.
May your soul be refreshed.

sdg