Navigating Current Events: Finding Calm in the Chaos, Be Light

In this episode, we are talking about how to manage stress during election cycles and other distressing current events.

We talk a lot about being aligned with your values. If you find yourself needing a little guidance on clarifying your values, I created a free guide, you can get it here: Values Clarification: 7 Steps to Walking More Freely in the Direction of Your Dreams

In a world filled with unsettling headlines—political divides, crime, natural disasters, and conflicts—it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. This episode dives into finding peace amid chaos. we are called to be a source of light and hope. While we can’t control every event around us, we can choose our responses. 

1. Understanding the Source of Peace
   Lasting peace doesn’t come from circumstances or worldly security. We can ground ourselves in a peace that endures.
2. Taking Action without Attachment to Outcomes
   Stress often stems from feeling like everything rests on certain outcomes. 
3. Practicing Discernment and Media Boundaries
   Limit media exposure and seek trustworthy, balanced sources. Boundaries around news consumption can help prevent feeling constantly overwhelmed.
4. Finding Community and Support
   Being part of a supportive community is essential. Together, we can share concerns, pray, and encourage each other. Community helps us focus on service and love, grounding us in purpose.
5. Reflecting Peace and Love
   Our response to division can be a powerful testimony. By choosing kindness and empathy, even toward those we disagree with, we live out the call to love.
6. Anchoring in Gratitude
   Gratitude shifts our focus to blessings and help us to see the all the good in the world.

Conclusion
In the face of distressing news, we can choose peace, kindness, and faith. By becoming a beacon of  light, we can illuminate a path of hope, showing a way through any storm.

Transcript

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navigating election stress offers a really valued. Valuable approach for handling all types of distressing current events. Whether it's a natural disaster, societal unrest. Economic hardship or global conflict. The studies. The stream of troubling news can take a toll on our peace of mind. And our relationships, and if we're not careful, Uh, these issues can create rifts. Between us and the people. We really care about our family, our friends, our. Neighbors. Especially when viewpoints differ. However, we. Don't have to let external events divide us instead. We can choose to approach these challenges with grace and compassion. Understanding. That every person is likely to carry their own stress too. By focusing on what unites us rather than what divides. As us, And by leaning into love and empathy, we can. Strengthen our bonds even intermittent times. So choosing to prior. Prioritize our relationships over disagreements helps us to. Become sources of stability and peace in each other's lives. Foster. Fostering communities that are resilient and hopeful, Grounded in mutual respect. And I know that sounds very ideal. Idealistic and well, it is. and really, is there anything wrong with that? R one. True. True and real calling in life is too. Live life as we were created for and by a design. Mine to live that life that we are created for and to live it fully. Really to love openly and discover all of the treasures. Measures that lie in that truth. And so we're going to unpack that. With a framework today. And talk a little bit about that. So, Welcome to another extraordinary week. I'm Julie Reynolds and I'm a nurse coach or I'm a therapist and hosts. On the default Ts podcast. This isn't an easy topic to talk about necessarily. Uh, because it just readily, it really have to be. I guess careful to be really objective. And stay curious, but I'm on the journey with you. And so let's go. Now, when I'm recording this, we are in election time. And so it's a lot different. motivated or inspired by that's happening right now. But there's a whole lot else going on. We have natural disasters. We've got wars. We have all sorts of issues And all of us are in different places with that, as far as our experience and how relevant it is to our life, how it's affecting us. And unfortunately, we are also at the mercy of media telling us different things. And we have really smart people who are paid a lot of money to tap into our fears and to tell us the things that they think will motivate us. as humans, we are just motivated by fear. media use those fears to capture us and to hold us, in their narrative. And I've found that neither narrative is telling completely the truth and more just trying to gain favor, and that causes a lot of division. And so no matter where you fall on the different issues, just remember that there are very smart people, very respectable people falling on both sides of the issue. So that always leads us to a little space for what we hold in common. Now, today's world, it can feel really overwhelming. And we wake up to another headline of political divides, crime, or natural disasters. And these events, can provoke A lot of fear and stress and sense of helplessness, but we aren't powerless while we can't control the world around us. We can choose how we respond, anchoring ourselves in hope and peace and purpose and shining a light. Even when the world feels dark, we can choose how we show up. in the world, and then choose to get the skills and practice showing up in the way we really want to. Now, as a Christian, I know that I'm called to be salt and light and living out Christ's love in the, in peace, in the middle of all of these things. The of life's storms. And so this isn't about ignoring and this isn't about ignoring the pain or pretending the issues don't exist. It's about navigating them with resilience and grounded in faith and hope and in our values that give us strength and purpose that to fuel our actions. So I'm going to talk through a framework and how I think about this and how I think we can really get to that place and show up in the world consistently in the way we want to. First is understanding our source of peace. when we look to the world for security or validation, we're bound to be disappointed. Political promises are broken, leaders fail, and human systems falter. Communication is a mess. We can fit, we can get ourselves in a lot of trouble if those are the things that we're counting on now, again, as a believer, I know that I have an unshakable foundation in my creator, in God, in Jesus, there's a promise of peace. That's not as the world gives, and I'm really drawn to that. phrase right now, because that I think is key to remembering where our source is, where that source of peace and wisdom and that foundation is. So that piece isn't dependent on circumstances and on leaders and outcomes. It's rooted in a trust in For me, it's a trust in God that is God is sovereign over all. And by refocusing our attention from all of that turmoil in the world to the promises and to our foundation, to our core values. We can find that sense of stability that the world really can't give us or give us on a consistent basis. That isn't where we find it. The other thing is just taking action without attachment to results. And this is a really good life skill to have in general. One of the greatest sources of stress, especially during election cycles, is feeling everything hinges on a particular outcome. it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that one vote, one leader, one policy will determine the fate of our lives. Now, We don't know what it's going to bring us as far as history goes, when we look back, how things are going to shape, we know that a lot of those things are significant, but while it's essential to exercise maybe our right to vote and stand up for our beliefs, it's just as important to do so with an open hand, knowing that it's important to do so with I can trust that God's plans are bigger than any election cycle, and that our ultimate hope doesn't rest in any earthly government. Now, my view is that God's plans are bigger than any election cycle, And that might be wars and famine. It might be a pandemic. It might be There are a lot of things that my brain is not going to go to what to do. disaster could happen that is actually going to be for our good. But I believe that all things work for our good. And so I've always said that it's a bad idea or to think that we can legislate morality because I think that it's bigger than that. remembering that we are instruments and we, no matter what the outcome that God's purpose for our lives, you are created for something to love others, to seek justice, to walk humbly, to. remain on that course to stay in our lane and to be what we are meant to be and that all things work together and all things are held together in a way that we can't always control. Now, there are some principles in general as a human citizen that are at play. And so we're encouraged to be responsible with civic engagement and which includes voting and sometimes includes advocating or participating in the community voice, this is when we have to really have our values defined. we have to have that coherence of our values, and wisdom. the Bible, if we're, if that is your source, calls us to seek justice, to defend the oppressed and to pursue what is good and in a lot of democracies, voting is one way to promote those values by supporting candidates or policies that reflect it. Biblical principles of justice, compassion, and righteousness. We're called to be good stewards of the resources and opportunities that are entrusted to us. stewardship over that influence that we can have in society. Because ultimately government is just establishing rules in which we can live. and commune together in a peaceful way, in a way that preserves our survival and our flourishing and our ability to pursue happiness and be free. Now, There's also biblical precedent for encouraging us to respect and submit to governing authorities. And I don't like that sometimes. And We participate by trying to choose the authority that we are most likely aligned with, and that implies that opportunity to influence the direction of governance And So get that voting and can be that respectful, active participation in the government and, on a prior episode about the way I vote in line with integrity and character of a leader, because ultimately when you elect a leader, obviously they can, They can change their minds. And I don't have all the information about how they really feel about anything because our election process is designed to not really tell us everything about what they're going to do. So you really have to be, really have to have done your homework to know. the character and to know what they really are for, not just what they're telling us that they're for. And I think that's different. I think a lot of the issues now, even I hear them and I think, this issue that they're talking about isn't even real. I don't want to get into the specifics because that's not the purpose of this episode. But there are things that they tell us or they create that fear around, what could happen is so far fetched that we forget, we distance ourselves from the actual what the policy is or what the law is, or, whether we like it or not is not the issue. It's just that we a lot of times will buy into their narrative, of fear and forget what the real. issues are around the, whatever piece of legislation we're dealing with. Anyway let's go back to talking about how we can navigate all of this stress and show up in the way, in the world that we really want to. We talked about understanding the source of our peace and the source of our joy our true core values, and then taking action without attachment to results and knowing that there's a bigger purpose and there's hope and there's peace and there's a way to move forward. Even if it doesn't go in a way that we like or is aligned with our value, and even in a place where it causes us some additional hardship, we have to really keep our eye on what is really important and what, how we can preserve ourselves even in hardship, if that were to be the case. To show up in the world the way we want to in the midst of all of this is to understand our source and take action with attach without attachments to results and then practicing that discernment and honestly lead limiting media consumption. The world often feels overwhelming because we're constantly exposed to bad news through social media and news outlets. So to avoid feeling perpetually overwhelmed, we have to be mindful of our media diet. And I, as an experiment, flipped over to a station that I never listened to. And I really started to really understand why so many people that I know, Love and trust believe something totally different than I do because they're listening to a completely different narrative. All the time. So we should consider limiting our consumption of news and choosing trustworthy sources, a source that, that can inform us without all of the sensationalism, I so we can set boundaries, maybe decide to check the news once a day, or choose to skip the commentary and focus on straightforward reporting. Another approach is to spend as much time seeking stories of hope as we do consuming negative news. Look for those stories that remind you of goodness and humanity, the acts of kindness that go unnoticed. The reminders that reinforce your faith. in the good that still exists in the world. My coach is always putting out reminders that to remember that there are more good people in the world than there are quote unquote bad people. There is that crime is not the norm. it is a reality in our world, but it is not the norm of our day. So we have to remember that there is more goodness in the world to be Identified and focused on, and it does still exist. Alright, another thing that we can do is find hope and healing in community. Isolation is fertile ground for fear. subjecting ourself to that narrative constantly, and then our brain begins to think that is all there is. Finding a supportive community, whether it's a church group, a circle of friends, An online accountability group can remind us that we are not alone in our concerns and together we can share our fears. We can pray for one another. We can lift each other up. Our community allow also allows us to serve one another and reach beyond ourselves, focusing on meeting the needs of those around us. And volunteering, serving, and simply just spending time with others can bring that healing and purpose counteracting those feelings of despair with active love. there are people that you, I'm sure you can think of people that you know, love and trust and have great respect for that come down on these, come down on issues, feel differently. Feel more strongly or less strongly about issues that you deeply care about. We have all these different perspectives and different ways to approach things, and these are good people all together in this experience. And I think that's good for us. I've had conversations with people I wholeheartedly respect and love and trust, and they can feel very differently than I do about an issue and what the response should be or what the responsibility to that issue is. And I just have to respect that life experience and the different things is. If you know someone who is personally, or you've been personally affected with, from these issues, you're going to have a different perspective than those who don't have that personal experience. Like I said, worldview, there are a whole lot of different ways to to open our hearts to people who feel differently and respect the way that if they're thinking through the issues that they're coming at it a little differently. So again, isolation. Is a fertile ground for fear, and we need to make sure that we're in community And opening ourselves up to that. The other thing is just in this, in a divided world, one of the greatest testimonies that we can offer is to a life full of love and peace. Choosing kindness, forgiveness, and empathy, especially towards those who do, who we disagree with is a powerful way to reflect the way we want to show up in the world to reflect our values. And if you're a Christian, it, this is a powerful way to reflect Christ's character. While it's easy to get caught up in arguments of the day, our true call is to love our neighbors as ourselves, embodying a peace that transcends the conflicts around us. And this might mean choosing not to engage in heated political arguments or deciding to pray for leaders that we may not agree with. I had a conversation recently and I feel like I'd like to go back and have that moment again and choose to not necessarily engage in political argument, but to just get curious about the perspective of the other person I honestly can be swayed a lot easier than I like to admit, but most people are not going to change their minds at this point. If on something that they feel strongly about and. It's really just showing up as a representative of love and that voice of calm and advocating for kindness. And that's how I want to show up in the world. I want to show up curious and I want to be able to just. Be amazed at our fascinating brains and how we process things and the experience that comes to that and imagine the possibilities If we all contributed our experiences to a common to the common goal Without if we were able to drop some of our defenses and some of those more harmful Narratives and come together on these issues to have a solution that is open now that would require some compromise And I think that's where we election time isn't the time that we compromise. Election time is the time that we fight for what we believe and we love. And then hopefully after the election, after the, when the dust settles, we're able to get aligned again with our common goals. When people see peace and love in our responses, it plants that seed of hope. So anchoring yourself in the gratitude and promises and core values. When things start to feel real dark we can find that light in gratitude and take time each day to notice the blessings around you. From it can be laughter of friends, beauty of nature, wherever you have to go for that gratitude refocuses our attention from the problems that we can't solve to the gifts that we can enjoy. So meditate on those on that goodness on the gratitude on the promises. remembering that there is a bigger picture and that there's a bigger purpose than just these things that we're focusing on at this point. Living in a chaotic world is challenging, but we can navigate it with faith, hope, and love. imagine the possibilities. By finding our peace, discerning our media consumption, building community, and reflecting on love and grounding ourselves in gratitude, we become beacons of hope. And when we live from a place of that unshakable peace, we don't. Just survive the storms. We become the sources of light for others, illuminating that path towards peace, kindness, and faith. We'll help you share this with your friends and tell others about the. Defaults yes, podcast. And we can go on this journey together and until. Next time let's get in touch with that inner wisdom, that inner peace that intuition. And show up in the world in the way that you really want to, To be a beacon of hope and light to those around you and a source. Peace and calm. understanding the source of our peace taking. Action without attachment to results, practicing discernment and. Limiting our media consumption. Finding. Hope and healing and community and reflect on love and peace. Anchor yourself in gratitude And put your light out into the world as you go out. Every day.