We’re in it again, people. We went from not being recovered emotionally from a years long global health pandemic to the first major European war our planet has seen since WWII. You can try to avoid it, turn off the news, stick your head under a pillow, but it is happening. And it’s going to have effects.
When we think about the world around us, outside of our individual selves, we can divide it into 3 basic categories: (thanks to my social-work roots on this one) micro, mezzo, and macro. The “micro” level would be considered yourself, your family, and your closest friends even; intra- and inter-personal relationships. The “mezzo” level would be your local community, your neighborhood, your town, school/university, etc. The “macro” level is the larger systems we navigate; think policy, law and legislation, and the world at large.
We (the micro) are the smallest of the nesting dolls, and each level swallows the next up around it.
Stress has varied effects on each of these levels, and its important to take stock of where you are in the process, where those around you are, and take care of yourself.
- Notice what levels of your life may bear the weight of stress: The war Russia has declared on the Ukraine, for many of us falls into our macro-level of living. It will have a larger systemic effect on our lives, and will undoubtedly increase stress overall, but you may find it easier to compartmentalize this and set your limits. Others may have immediate relatives in these countries (micro) or be of Russian or Ukrainian descent (mezzo). You or a loved one could work in a field that may have a direct effect from declaration of war (micro, mezzo, and macro). Take stock of your personal situation, and the circumstances affecting the people around you to increase your awareness.
- Take action where you can. Empower yourself and find a way that feels comfortable for you to do something. It could be checking in on someone who you know is in a micro-stress circumstance, it could be donating money, goods or your time to an organization that is providing relief or aid. It could be having the conversation with your developmentally appropriate-aged children on what war is and what this means.
- Give yourself (and others) grace and understanding. Increased feelings of hopelessness, depression, and anxiety are a normal effect of what has and is happening in our world. You are not regressing; you are paying attention. That saying of, “Be kind to those you meet, for we are all engaged in a great struggle” is more true these last few years than ever.
- Access human compassion. We are in it, but we are in it together. At any given moment there is someone out there feeling the same thing you are. Access that human connection and let it empower you or bring you peace and comfort.
- Set your limits and priorities. You can investigate and plan using the basics of questioning: Who/What, When, Where, and How? Who or what is contributing to the stress? Who or what can you access to take care of you? When can you do that? Where will you do that, and How? Do you need someone to watch your kids so you can take a break? Do you need to seek a friend? Do you need to take a bath? Should you be putting your phone down? (Side note, and spoiler alert, the answer to that question is always yes…but that’s for another blog). You must know when to put it all down. Social media is an incredible and dangerous thing. We have access to a plethora of information right at our finger tips, but sometimes it’s not healthy to take it all in incessantly.
In being mindful of the various levels of stress in your life, you can better identify and prioritize your life, responsibilities and living, and set boundaries to take care of what you can during these challenging times. Sending love, light, and positive energy to all who are in need, but especially our fellow humans in the Ukraine and Russia.
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