We live in a world where we don’t live from the inside out, more from the outside in, seeking validation from external sources. Following, striving, and numbing feelings to get to an often-unattainable vision of accomplishment—because there will always be something or someone else to follow. I often hear myself or friends say, “I should do this” or “I’ll be happy when I’ve achieved this,” despite true happiness being the absence of the search for it. Life is not a to-do list—a selection of goals to be achieved at the end of which is satisfaction. Isn’t that putting off true contentment? The here and now matters.
Read moreGive courage wings
But we can shoulder this burden collectively, and one thing that’s hit home for me over the past few months is that acts of courage surround us every day. I’ve witnessed them, I’m in awe of them and I’ve built up my own faith armour and courage because of them. For me, courage has become something much more meaningful and special than the feats and achievements we typically associate it with. It’s not just the wonder of climbing mountains or saving lives, it’s also being true to you— “living out loud”—even when you feel like you just don’t have the words. It’s taking the time to realise that we need to be kind to ourselves.
Read moreProcessing the new world
They say the only way forward is to accept and move on. Accept things will get better and try to look for small moments of joy in everyday life. However, keeping calm and carrying on isn’t for everyone—for many, the more than a year on milestone is a time of intense processing, grieving, losing hours of sleep as we fail to shut down from blurred work-life boundaries, high anxiety and constant exposure to news.
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