Annie Pearson Sometimes it’s all just a little too much. The world and everything happening in it, the news, lives halfway across the world and the fear of what’s going to happen right in our own communities, PLUS everything we’re already dealing with in our lives.
We just keep taking it all in, day after day after day, and then one day it’s just all too much. It becomes hard to keep moving forward. Little things feel like big things. Suddenly everything feels too big, insurmountable even. So you maybe freeze. It can paralyze you so you are just doing the bare minimum to get by and numbing out the rest of the time or you choose to ignore it, after all, ignorance is bliss. I totally get it. The problem is, it’s not sustainable in the long run.
So what can you do? Do you have to quit your job and dedicate your life to fighting global injustice? Not necessarily and here’s why:
Little things make big things happen
And
Small things can be done with great love
So what does that mean? Your good deed may feel insignificant or just a drop in the bucket of never-ending suffering but the truth is it all counts. No effort is ever wasted.
We know from coaching that small consistent steps lead to big changes. We can use that information when we are feeling helpless or hopeless. We can take the first baby step and then keep on stepping, one little bit at a time. Just don’t stop (or if you do, go ahead and start up again).
What can you do if you’re feeling like the world is just too much right now?
- Do you have more money than time? Donate to an organization that’s doing something about the issue you care about. The dollar amount is less important than actually just hitting the submit button on the donation form.
- Do you have more time than money? Find an organization that needs volunteers. idealist.org and Catchafire are two great resources. Many jobs have a low time commitment, can be done remotely, and bonus, it’s great experience for your resume!
- Meditate/Pray/Send good vibes – Seriously. Part of the reason you are feeling so bad is because you feel so deeply. If you believe that we are all connected then send out your good thoughts and energy to the universe to help balance out some of the negativity.
- Do something kind. Anything. A random act of kindness or any ole good deed. It will make you feel good and think of the ripple effect.
When the world feels like just too much the only thing you can do is to focus on you. But you can focus on you in a way that also helps others, that also helps alleviate the suffering of others, and you don’t need to upend your entire life to do so. When the enormity of the world’s problems are so great remember that you still matter. Your life and your actions matter.
So what one small act would you like to do today?
