Full as a Tick on a Hound Dog

So many of us are struggling. How can we stay hopeful and positive when negativity seeps into every fiber of our daily life?

Life is life-ing right now. For so many of us and in a myriad of ways it truly almost defies description. Conversations with person after person, all different in ways that matter to demographers, and yet a common theme emerges. How can we stay hopeful and positive when negativity seeps into every fiber of our daily life?

Collectively, we are all full as a tick on a hound dog. For those of you not fluent in southernisms, that little phrase is used when you have eaten your fill of food and are at the point of bursting, in other words a painful rather than satiated feeling. Except in this case, I am not referring to food, but rather the conflux of forces from social media, news, politics, geopolitics, religion, and any and everything else that has seemed to thumb its nose at civility and empathy and instead celebrates negativity and discord.

Technological advancements have given us instant access and algorithms to go down the rabbit hole as far and for as long as we physically desire. What this also means is that beyond merely observing what is going on in the present, we are absorbing it. The off switch is not as simple as getting up and turning the TV off. It is waiting for us at home, in the workplace, with our family and friends, our neighbors, and our community.

A firehose being aimed at us, relentlessly. Even if we are committed to standing for what we think is right and what aligns with our values, no one can withstand such an onslaught without risking their sanity, peace, and strength.

Hope does not just appear like a fairy godmother when we are knee-deep in the mud. Hope comes from taking a reprieve, centering ourselves, protecting our inner peace, and using the silence to guide us.

Dismantle the routines that only serve to further our discontent. What activities during the normal day expose you to more toxicity and negativity? What activities can you add to your day that inherently bring peace and tranquility? This is not to say that we are removing ourselves from reality; rather, we are making a conscious effort to build in time for things that restore us. When we restore ourselves, balance returns. This restoration does not remove in totality the sources of malaise but instead makes room for peace so that the negativity is not so all-consuming.

Never underestimate the value of being around others who understand and support you, the real you. The people who know your worth and see your humanity, and value that above your support for or opposition to any issue. Being able to look someone in the eye, breathe, and say it all without saying a single word is therapy beyond measure.

Self-care looks different for everyone, but we must disconnect if we want to reconnect. You may have been going so hard for so long that self-care is a foreign concept. Start small; no one is expecting you to begin with a multi-mile hike or an hours long meditation. Intention and consistency are the key pillars rather than speed, length, or stamina. Start with five minutes and increase to fifteen and then build to whatever amount of time you desire. What you will find is that little bit of room you have created becomes the part of the day you most look forward to and treasure. An interesting thing happens then…your perspective begins to shift. You see things that were not otherwise immediately apparent. The people and things that have been pushed to the side and overlooked rise to the surface. You find ways to be a better version of yourself. Want to change the world? Look inward first. The individual influences the immediate circle and then ripples out thereafter.

Seek silence, for by its nature it will never pursue you. It welcomes all without pretext and listens as you pour yourself into it. Silence begets peace. Peace begets balance.

Negativity will continue to flow, but we have the power to lower its volume, balance it with equal parts positivity, and shift our collective consciousness by shifting ourselves.

Reverting back to some more southernisms, we are all worn slap out. Choosing to do nothing different and keep going as-is? Well, that dog won’t hunt.

Alright, let me let you go.