Finding Hope in Chaos

Finding Hope in Chaos

https://www.restoredminds.com/5-Rules-For-Recovery

https://www.restoredminds.com/ocd-assessment

“Once you choose hope, anything’s possible” - Christopher Reeve

In today’s episode, I just want to offer a message of hope for the future, especially to my fellow Americans, as we all navigate the chaos in our country. As if the pandemic and quarantine weren’t hard enough, there seems to be an increasing amount of division, anger, and hostility that continues to spread.

During these difficult times, hope can act as a north star and ultimately guide us to a better future. The only way that we can heal as a nation is if we as individuals take responsibility to make that happen. And as always, it begins with the individual, each and every one of us. Together we can make it happen if we believe that it is possible.

TRANSCRIPT

(00:11):

Hey, my friend and welcome to this episode. And so I just wanted to make a short little episode for this week, um, because I know that there's a lot of turmoil right now. You know, I know many of us had a hard 20, 20, um, you know, so there's obviously some great things to still happened, but, um, you know, it was a tough year and I think many of us were putting our hope in the idea that when that calendar turned to 2021, that things would be better. And the reality is, is that I'd spent, uh, you know, we've been off to a Rocky start. And so I want to just talk about the idea of hope, right? And hope is something that we can't ever let go of right now, you know, because the moment you let go of hope, um, you know, your, your behavior, you know, will just immediately follow that. Right. And there's always things to be hopeful for now, you know, maybe your candidate won in the election, maybe he didn't. Right. And, and either way, you know, that is one of those things that is just the reality. Okay.

(01:13):

Focused on the past, right, because this is where a lot of people's stress comes from, right. It's past space and future based. Right. Um, but if we're focused on the past, on an event that we didn't like, and we are, you know, continuing to be upset about that, and we've exercised all that we can do about that. Well then eventually what it's going to do is just eat us alive. Right. And in a similar fashion, if we're looking into the future and predicting all these horrible things that also can, you know, really, really mess with us as well, right. That's where anxiety comes from, right. It's, you know, our brain future pacing, an unwanted event. Right. And then us reacting to it right now, like it's actually happening.

(01:56):

The, the thing that I just want to say is, is that as we, you know, go into this week, um, you know, look remember that we are all in the same boat together. Right. And one of the things that I know that happens is, is that media will look to divide, right. And, and the more and more we divide the harder and harder that is to, to rekindle. Right. And if you look at any relationship, right, like I've done much counseling for, um, you know, just couples in general or relationships. And one thing I've learned is that when you stop communicating, then that becomes the breaking point. Right. And even if you have differences of opinion, you can still communicate and communicate respectfully at that. Right. Communicate respectfully, communicate lovingly communicate on the sh understandingly, right. With people just because you don't believe something, someone else believes, or just because you don't agree with someone else that doesn't, that doesn't, you know, uh, give you the right to respond in an aggressive or a shutdown kind of approach to that individual.

(03:04):

Right. And, and even however wild it might be. I mean, you know, that's, that's one of the great things about, you know, the United States is that we have the freedom to have opinions. Right. And, um, at least for the time being right. And, you know, the thing that I, I guess, um, and, and again, I'm, I'm as guilty of it as anyone. Right. You know, so it's like I'm as guilty to get swooped up into, you know, like anger and get angry about stuff and all this stuff, you know, I've had all sorts of emotions over the past several weeks. And I think once we, once you are able to step back from that, right. And, and ultimately, I think two things, you know, one deciding on what kind of content you are consuming and what that, what that content is doing to you as an individual.

(03:55):

Right? Because again, a restored minds, we have that same message that we go back to, again, healing starts from within. Right. And, you know, I know there's people talking about healing the nation. Well, okay. Well, you know what that starts with you then, and it starts with your ability to be okay internally, because if you aren't okay internally and you, your con you're in, if your internal wellbeing is contingent on something and that thing's not happening, then you're not okay. Internally. And then that manifests and grows in your environment, starting with your relationships, your work, all that stuff. And the thing that I want to go back to again and again, and again, is this idea that healing starts from within. And a lot of what happens within is going to be is going to be determined on what we are consuming outside. Right. So if you're consuming negativity, anger, you know, hate messages, right.

(04:45):

If you, if you're spreading that stuff even worse, well, what's that going to do to you internally and yet, is that, is that promoting healing? Right. And, and the other thing, so starting first with what you're consuming is an individual and what that's doing to you. Right. And where you're putting your hope. Right. I mean, like, those are, those are big things to consider. And then the other thing is, is that when you, when we want real healing to happen, what needs to happen is, is it, you have to be the first person to open up to listen, right. Not to be heard to hear, right. If you want people to hear you, you got to hear them. Right. And what's happening. I think this is there's this standoff by people on, on both sides of the coin where it's just this absolute, that I'm right.

(05:31):

And anytime you think like that, that is extremely dangerous thinking extremely dangerous, because if you're convinced you're right, you're not going to hear anything. If you're not going to hear anything, but they're not going to hear you. And then the divide just starts to grow and grow and grow and grow. Now, like, my hope is, is that it's reached its max, right. And that the pendulum starts to swing back the other way. But the thing that I want to go back to, again and again, as I put my hope in the individual, always right. Not in an institution. Right. You know, and any institution, any, any masses is like, I put my hope in an individual because at the individual I know I can connect with, but when you are, if so, you know, it's important that if we want to heal as a, as a nation, right.

(06:19):

That it starts with you and just remembering that and what that means in all of your relationships and going back to that, and if you can really embrace that idea, then you can start to look at yourself and say, okay, well, are there ways that I can change to help this healing process? And this is what I asked myself right. All the time, what, how can I change? Right? Because this is where it starts. It starts with me taking responsibility. Right. So if there's anything that I need to change, then I start working on that individually. I don't try to change other people. Right. Um, because that becomes that that's where the real conflict happens. And so, um, you know, I mean, I think that we all want the same thing. We all want 20, 21 to be way better than 2020. And we can accomplish that together.

(07:08):

We really can. It's very possible. The question is, is, are we going to learn from the mistakes that caused the division, right. Are we going to keep listening to the same people that want us to divide, right? Or are we going to try a new approach? And instead of looking outward, looking within and starting here and working from there. So, um, you know, I wish you guys had a great week this week. I know there's a lot going on this week. Um, and I wish everyone to be safe again, like, yeah, there's no reason to incite chaos and violence in any way online or in person. You know, it's like, if you're not sending messages of hope, messages of love, messages of peace, messages of unity, then don't send messages, man. You know, I mean, like look at yourself and see why you're, why you're even thinking about sending that other stuff out.

(08:04):

Um, you know, and if you're one to cancel people and in anything, in any kind of stuff like that, I mean, like, do you have to just step back and look at yourself? And so, uh, I guess this is, you know, my, my hope that we can start to come together as, as people. And remember that we're way more than a political idea. Like, so if you're over identified with any kind of political idea, that's a problem because that's not you, right. Like that's just an idea, right? It's, it's a, it's a, it's an ideology that you've adopted that you've internalized, that you've become identified with. Right. And if you really want healing to take place, we have to strip back the identities that we've put on ourselves, quote, unquote, and start to look at who we are is just people in remembering that we're all people and uniting on that general cost first and then healing from there.

(08:56):

And so, um, anyways, I just wanted to take the time to share that message this week. Um, and again, you know, if you guys are looking for, um, you know, any kind of help with anxiety, psychological stress, um, you know, if you're really struggling with any of that, we also have additional resources for you over at restored minds. And, um, you know, if you, if you found this video helpful, well, we'd appreciate, you know, if you'd like and subscribe and, uh, support our channels as well. So thank you guys. And I wish you guys a wonderful week and I will see you on the next episode,

(09:26):

Take care.