“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.“
– Marcus Aurelius.
If you are anything like me, you must be feeling the chaos of the world on a daily basis. Every day you wake up and read bits and pieces of news as you go along with your day. Unknowingly, each piece of news affects you a little and the chaos reaches your head by the end of the day making you a hater of multiple things going on around the world.
Growing up, my dad tried to make me develop the habit of reading the news every morning, in an effort to help me broaden my horizons. I, however, had the attention span of a butterfly and he was never entirely successful in his attempts. Don’t get me wrong, I like to stay informed of the happenings around the world and I try to keep up with the news now. But every time I read the news, I feel disappointment, anger and deep sorrow at the state of affairs.
It makes me wonder if I had it right when I was young. Blissfully living in your own world does seem like a pleasant way to chill. Not the best option though, so how is it then that we chill amidst the chaos?
1.)Fact Checking
When you read a piece of controversial news, check your facts before you believe it and spread it around. It is sad, but hate seems to spread faster than love in this world. Don’t add to the hate. Just chill. Spread some love if you can.
2.) Acceptance
They say “ignorance is bliss” but acceptance is way more powerful than ignorance. Not reading the news altogether or avoiding a situation entirely doesn’t make it go away. It may keep gnawing at you inside while you try to suppress the emotions. Acceptance, however, gives you the power to understand a different perspective. Acceptance that everyone is not the same, is the first step to chill.
3.) Stop labeling and generalizing
Attaching labels to a certain group of people, a country, a religion or even a language is ridiculous. Each person is different and that’s why they are called individuals. Believe in humanity and chill.
4.) Contribute positively
Do anything within your power to change a situation that you are not happy about. Every step counts. Be the change that you want to see.
Try not to get sucked into all the negativity that gets thrown at your every day. Keep calm and chill.
