Grief is one of those emotions that many of us think of only during the loss of a loved one. And while this is the grief, many of us experience grief, and the grieving process, can happen whenever we have a loss.
During COVID-19, we have experienced many deaths, and those events elicit feelings of grief, but almost everyone has experienced loss due to the coronavirus. We have lost employment, lost freedom of movement lost ability to meet with family and friends as we used to, and lost a sense of control over our lives. All of these are losses that can lead us to feel grief.
The Mayo Clinic reports that "In addition to feeling grief over the loss of life caused by COVID-19, you're likely grieving the loss of your normal routine." Check out my article on this topic written a couple of months ago by clicking here.
"Not only are people now grappling with the loss of normalcy, but also with anticipatory grief, or…
Read more: How To Healthily Cope With Grief During Covid-19
Write comment (0 Comments)I find that today, listening to the news and hearing people bickering about politics is not easy to be happy. Even if I am happy, once I hear about more violence in the country, I'm no longer happy. So why aren't you happy? Try to be happy in today's culture!
Fair observation. Outside forces and experiences can and do take away our happiness. Being happy isn't always easy, but it does happen. You may want to check out a previous article of mine I titled: "Happiness Is Not The Answer But Here's What Is."
In that article, I wrote: "Happiness is a fleeting emotion which comes and goes. As such, happiness can't be a life goal. This is why I don't encourage people to seek happiness as a life goal." My premise is that we need to focus on inner peace instead of a fleeting of happiness. But for the purpose of this article, I'm content with using the word happy.
Many…
Read more: Why Aren’t You Happy? How To Change That
Write comment (0 Comments)Angry at society? Why is there so much anger? We see it in the streets, in demonstrations, on social media, etc. I have my theories, but the focus of this article is not on the why, or the origin, of the anger. Instead, I write this article on anger from the perspective of mindfulness.
In mindfulness, we are urged to remain in the moment, non judgmentally. Following that suggestion, I don't necessarily need to understand why someone is angry. Assuming anger is taking a person from their peace, I guide that person to shift their perspective and so take action in the hopes of returning that person to a sense of peace.
As a counselor and practitioner of mindfulness, I don't perceive anger as either positive or negative. The feeling is the…
Read more: Angry At Society - how to feel peaceful not hatred
Write comment (0 Comments)In my life, I strive to be an optimistic person, although, I think I end up somewhere in the middle between being an optimist and a pessimist. This middle area I like to refer to as "being a realist". I’m fine with being a realist as I feel it keeps me grounded in what is happening around me and in the larger world; the good and the bad. Although, a problem in being a realist is there is little room for making a change to the events which are happening. The optimist sees potential for change while the realist simply sees what is.
Recently there’s been an onslaught of negative news in all of the media…
Read more: How To Cope And Positively Make A Difference In Society
Write comment (0 Comments)Therefore, the idea of a "new normal" worries some people and causes many to feel anxious. Friends of mine, and some clients of mine, lament that life may never be how it was before the pandemic. Yes, that may be true. But I wonder if a return to normal is what's in our best interest.
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When we focus on the new normal, we compare our present moment with the past of a few months ago. As I reflect on the past, I recall many positive aspects of our society. Yet, I also remember many negative aspects of our society. Might it be possible that this time of "difference" within our society can also be a time to create a "new normal"? Might this present moment be an opportunity to move into the future of possibilities? …
Read more: The New Normal - 7 Valuable Lesson Opportunities To Learn Now
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