"Peace, bringing it all to peace, the storm surrounding me, let it break at Your name" the storm's'a ragin'Not just the external storm of craziness, also the internal storm! The stories you tell yourself can kick up some pretty serious weather; not only that, but the mind as we know it is a complicated entity that wavers like the wind. I know in my own case, I struggle with anxiety and suspicion like the whole sky is falling! It takes a lot of awareness, boundaries, and close friends to keep me level-headed and confident in reality. It's a huge issue in our modern society for so many reasons - an elevated awareness to the world's shenanigans especially - and I like to think that we all have to implement leverage at some point in time to keep our heads on straight, and avoid falling into traps of anxiety and distrust. The fact is, like my recent post states, our amygdalae need reminders that not everything is deadly and imminent. Another danger to state of mind is being too close; sort of like climbing over the rails of Niagara Falls to take a closer look - but not recognizing that it's dangerous. I'm not saying that being too close to a situation is going to result in your literal falling, crushing, and drowning, but I am saying that being too close exposes you to a heightened level of pessimism and disenchantment. On the other hand, though, being too distant from a situation can also result in pessimism and disenchantment. You both can't be too close (or obsessed) or distant (detached) from something you're passionate about for the sake of staying hopeful. Once you let go of your hope and enter the realm of sheer pessimism, you've unhinged your skill-set from reality and efficiency, and are now riding on what we call, "the caboose of emotions." Point being, hopelessness helps no one. Here's the loop though, Not only can you become hooked too close to a situation (ex. friend drama), but you can also become a little too friendly with your own cognitive state; which I'm sure most of us know by experience to be a toxic and repetitive experience of negativity and worry. Panic on a sinking boat is the last thing you need, but rather you need a level head and objectivity. Cue the relational support system. Mermaids swarmTo make a little bit more interesting, I'm going to explain this in Mermaid terms (because it's more fun); we all know that having a support system is important to your health, confidence, objectivity, and development, but do we ever prioritize that in times of high stress? Probably not. Think of a swarm of Mermaids travelling through the ocean waiting on their next bunch of sailors to prey on. Remember when that one Mermaid in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides gets taken by Barbosa and the other pirates? The other mermaids were fighting together to get her, and to basically just defend Whitecap Bay! Point being, Syrena (the captured Mermaid) wasn't the only one to fight. That colourful image all to say that basically things work out better when we have a family, or support system, to depend on to fight alongside us in difficulties and defend the delicate realities and optimisms of our minds. Could you imagine if Syrena was the only one to defend Whitecap Bay?? There's no chance she would've survived or probably even had been willing to fight in the first place. The same goes for our brains when we face questionable realities. When we have difficulties keeping it together, we absolutely need to prioritize our valued family and friends to keep us grounded; there's no clearer example of your safety than the people that love you unconditionally. The fact is that fighting irrationality together is a lot more empowering, and in some ways, more challenging, than fighting it on your own. And with it, you come out the other end with some dependable compadres who've proved they love you. Hidden peace"Inner peace is hard to find, peace of heart and peace of mind, feels like I'm running all the time, like I'm at war inside" - Inner Peace by Jon Foreman. It's hard to find but it's so, so good. It's hidden away within ourselves, and it takes trust and surrender and dependence to bring it out. Imagine what this world would be like if we all were confident in ourselves and in our fate? Imagine if we were comfortable enough in our wellbeing to share both a positive culture and preservation with other nations, worldwide? Imagine if we weren't so afraid of failing, and if we weren't always on high alert for irrational dangers. Being okay with yourself and your wellbeing is so good, not only because of the character values it helps to cultivate, but also because peace is a rarity in this age, and it finds high purpose and influence when it reflects the sunlight in the open, for everyone to see. And with that I urge you, brothers and sisters, depend on your people to fight with you, and know they are willing. Fight the anxiety, fight the suspicion, fight the fear. The darkness can't prevail where a light is lit. Some songs that ponder the silencing of fear: 'Inner Peace' by Jon Foreman, and 'Tremble' by MOSAIC MSC.
1 Comment
5/28/2019 04:51:53 am
I wasn't planning on commenting on several different blog posts all at once (I swear) but you really reeled me in with this one, Rebekah. Some of the worst decisions I have ever made come (a) in isolation and (b) when I'm peering into the jaws of anxiety and listening to Satan's lies instead of relying on God's truth and the support of my wife and the people around me. We can't deny the impact our anxiety has on us but we can't let it define us and swamp the truth, either.
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