| Does your mind catastrophize when things don't go the way you planned? Or when life on a collective level feels unpredictable and chaotic? You're not alone! Anytime I'm under-resourced, run-down, or feel physically unwell, I tend to have a more negative, panicky outlook. Most of us do!
I think we get negative (and sometimes even cynical) because we're trying to find a sense of control. And for some reason we think things should be predictable. Life is a mystery, though. And denying that while playing out all the worst-case scenarios doesn't help us. Instead it tends to increase our anxiety and sense of powerlessness.
There's a poem that helped me find a less negative perspective, and I want to share it with you today. If you've been having some everything's-falling-apart thoughts, I hope it feels supportive:
Against Panic
by Molly Fisk
You recall those times, I know you do, when the sun
lifted its weight over a small rise to warm your face,
when a parched day finally broke open, real rain
sluicing down the sidewalk, rattling city maples
and you so sure the end was here, life a house of cards
tipped over, falling, hope's last breath extinguished
in a bitter wind. Oh, friend, search your memory again ~
beauty and relief are still there, only sleeping.
❤️
To practice with the theme of this poem, put a hand on your heart and take three breaths.
With each inhale, say to yourself: maybe beauty and relief are still here
With each exhale, say: only sleeping
When you finish, notice how you feel.
🦋
This poem helped me remember that my overwhelmed thoughts weren't necessarily accurate. Even if it wasn't ideal, it was ok for plans to not happen the way I intended. Everyone understood that I needed to rest and recover. And even though I felt awful, I was fundamentally ok. After a little while, I could look at what was happening from a different angle:
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