Let's all calm down while we continue standing up

Life is not always humorous, that’s ok, it’s not meant to be. There are times for humor and laughter; there are times for seriousness and debate. Today is going to be one of the latter.

I’ve been dealing with debilitating anxiety and panic attacks recently; I’m definitely not happy in those moments! Negative thoughts and my worst fears torment me, it is my own version of hell on earth and my heart aches for others who experience this regularly.

I read this recently, ‘“Scholars tell us that in 2014 one in five of the U.S. population between the ages of 18 to 25 had a mental illness. This reaches down to younger ages and causes overall anxieties and significant overload among mental health counselors. We are told that between 2008 and 2016, there was a 40 percent increase in college students being diagnosed or treated for depression, and a 70 percent increase in diagnosis of or treatment for anxiety. Truly these are different times for your generation…” https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2020/02/what-church-leaders-are-saying-about-mental-health?lang=eng

I’d say! And I’m afraid it’s only going to get worse. I saw this meme on FB recently: 

This was my comment: "Tbh I'm also ashamed of some of my fellow Americans actions. I get that people are afraid, and angry, and feel like their voices aren't being heard. How can we not feel that way when it seems like the government, who is in charge of writing the rules, won't even follow them themselves! Definitely vote for candidates you trust and who share your values in what will help heal our country. Definitely speak up when you have a chance. But the violence, rudeness, and incivility that reigns today is saddening to me. How can we expect patience, kindness, tolerance, respect, and Christ like love from our children when many adults don't practice it themselves?"

Now don’t get me wrong, my intent in writing this blog is not to have a religious and/or political debate. Those tend to get too heated and emotional and with my anxiety flaring up there is no way that would be good for my mental health. (Hmm, maybe there is a pattern there for everyone else, too? Just sayin.)

Part of the problem (again imo) is that we are overloaded with information. Technology is great but it can be overwhelming to those of us “old folks” who are used to getting the world’s information from only the nightly news, books from the library, encyclopedias, or by word of mouth. Technology is a tool, it has no inherent good or bad, it is our intent and how we use it that matters.

I’m lifting my voice amongst the chaos to try to do good by sharing what is working for me in my search of happiness. I don’t expect you to take my advice, I’m not preaching to you, I’m just sharing and recognizing that we all have different experiences and need to find our OWN happiness along the journey of this crazy thing we call life.

Blah blah blah, as I’ve mentioned before, I don’t get out much socially due to my current life circumstances so I find a lot of my information through technology. (Hmm, again there seems to be a pattern in this for everyone else, too!) What I find when it comes to current events and “news” sends my anxiety into high gear and I can only stomach it so long.

I don’t want to send anyone else into panic attacks but come on, ignorance is bliss and knowledge is power. We can’t shouldn't bury our heads in the sand to protect our feelings (sometimes we can should for our mental health, though). There are so many good and decent causes to fight for…and when I say “fight” I mean verbally discussing/debating, not physical violence or rudeness.

One that is near and dear to me is the safety of children. They have no voice legally; they are children, so we need to voice their opinions and what we feel is best for them. Tactfully. Lovingly. Truthfully.

Here are some troubling videos/articles I have found recently, feel free to check them out when you have a few minutes and aren’t easily triggered.

https://www.facebook.com/GlennBeck/videos/2518401751623932

https://www.yahoo.com/now/loudoun-county-school-district-breaks-185153597.html

https://www.facebook.com/devinsieboldcomedy/videos/169939625309655/

I used to be a public school teacher and a close family member is one currently. Y’all, the difference 30 years make is incredible! I can relate to this teacher: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1gjUkKzGn4 but not this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1Wb3VsE1yI

(My happiness hack…watch more of this second teacher’s videos on YouTube under Bored Teachers, she’s hilarious!)

Here’s another reality check from that funny teacher: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3fSze6rU20

Can you imagine the reality check if teachers did what the Southwest Airlines pilots are doing? Could you blame them? If you’ve read these articles and watched the videos combined with your own experiences, I think you’d say no. It’d sure put our society in chaos (Hmm, did we not get a mini taste of what that’d be like the past 2 years?).

I can’t tell you what is best for your child(ren) just like you can’t tell me what is best for mine. But let’s be adults, let’s show good examples to the children of how you should handle fear and anxiety and differences of opinions because they are watching and they ARE learning. The future is going to be just as chaotic, if not more so, for them.

And one more quote I’d like to share that brings me peace: “If most of the information you get comes from social or other media, your ability to hear the whisperings of the Spirit will be diminished,” President Russell M Nelson https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/what-did-the-prophet-teach-at-general-conference

Calm down and try to find your own happiness hacks while you continue standing up for what is right. 

PS: As an update, my scrubs Happiness Hack worked better than expected! Remember when I said I wear scrubs when my fibromyalgia makes wearing other clothes uncomfortable? It’s much more socially acceptable than going out in my pajamas. (Yes, I have done that, too.) This week I had a dr’s appointment and I wore my scrubs. I also had on my alpha-stim for anxiety, which is a medical device that you can see being worn but you aren’t quite sure what it is if you've never seen one before

, and a face mask. The phlebotomist taking my blood asked if she knew me from somewhere…like maybe one of the other nursing homes she works for. 

Ha ha, that’s a definite nope! But I’m flattered that she thought I looked “professional”…and smart enough to be in the medical field. It’s easy to say people’s opinions of what you look like shouldn’t matter but come on; we all do a little bit 😊