There are many justifiable reasons you might be feeling blue these days.

There are wars and conflicts around the globe that are impacting millions of people, including children, seemingly with no end in sight.

The upcoming U.S. election is possibly the most significant in its history. The stakes are higher than ever, and it is not easy to avoid the impact of bigotry, negativity, misinformation, and disinformation coming from politicians and the electorate.

A devastating hurricane has just wiped out communities in the southeastern region of the U.S., has killed more than 200 people, and destroyed thousands of homes.

And then there are the ongoing and daily pressures of school, work, peers and colleagues, our children, their needs and concerns, schedules, and finances.

That’s a lot of stuff, so understandably, you may sometimes feel down on life and humanity.

The question is, when you go there, do you want to stay? You might think of depleting feelings such as disappointment, angst, anger, and heartache like a place you live in that no longer suits you. You know it’s time to move on. The next question is, will you?

You can train yourself to recognize that feelings like angst, despair, and disappointment do not serve you and then take a few breaths—a little slower and deeper than usual. You’ll notice a bit more ease and calm in the process. Your autonomic nervous system is shifting from an out-of-balance state to a balanced state. In a relatively short period, you can feel and perform better.

Here are the steps:

Step 1: Recognize you’re cycling down. Worry, anxiety, despair, frustration, anger, and overwhelm are not places you want to hang out. They are depleting your energy, accelerating aging, diminishing your immune system, and bringing you down, along with those around you.

Step 2: Breathe in Inner Ease. Focus on the area of the heart or chest area and take in some breaths that are a little slower and deeper than usual, finding an even and easy, comfortable rhythm. As you breathe a little slower and deeper than usual, breathe in the feeling of inner ease.

You know what inner ease feels like. Imagine you’re in your favorite spot—maybe in a boat out on a beautiful lake, walking in the woods with your dog, sitting by a fire with a loved one, or sipping a cup of tea and looking at a beautiful sunrise.

Your body doesn’t know that you’re not at the lake, in the woods, by the fire, or looking out at a sunrise. And, you can feel what it’s like to be there anyway rather than feeling the angst of our times.

Step 3: Notice the shift. It can happen in just seconds to a couple of minutes. You’re feeling more calm, more at ease, and in a more balanced state of being. Enjoy that for a bit. Receive the gifts that come from inner ease.

Step 4: Now share it. What can you do to bring others more joy, peace, and clarity?

It could be a phone call to someone you haven’t spoken to in some time. Often, they are thinking of you and would love to hear from you.

It might be taking a cup of coffee or tea to someone.

How about writing that thank you letter or email you’ve been putting off?

What about helping people register to vote, making calls, knocking on doors?

And with the devastation in the southeast or another part of the country or world, you can assist those in need.

THANK YOU

I want to take a moment to thank you for taking the time to read this and perhaps my past RISE and Shine Letters to Subscribers. We have a lot of repairs to make in the world—certainly, the physical ones that come from war and acts of nature.

However, the repair that is most important and needed is our own. To create a world (and life) that isn’t bouncing from one crisis to the next, we must be different to act and create communities, businesses, and nations that serve us all.

When we restore the harmony and balance within ourselves, we will create a world that reflects it. The world and our lives will always reflect our inner and collective states.

In any given moment, we can RISE to meet the moment with care, appreciation, and compassion for ourselves and others rather than judgment, blame, shame, and criticism.

No more judgment—it doesn’t serve me. It doesn’t serve us. No more hate. It reduces me. It reduces us. No more imposing my way of thinking and living on another human being or group—that limits me. It limits us.

So, while it is understandable to get down on the world, on life, friends, family, and humanity, know that it is a choice you make on how long you stay there.

Recognizing that you are feeling low is heightened self-awareness. Keep it coming! Now, with growing and loving self-awareness, you can take action that serves. Start with your breath as your go-to place. Your breath gives you direct access to your heart, and your heart will always guide you in a way that serves you and everyone around you.

If you are voting in the U.S. election, know you have a big responsibility. So please make sure you are registered and vote. We can elect leaders who will bring greater ease, joy, and hope to our communities and nation.

Remember, leaders’ words and actions reflect their inner state. Let’s RISE to meet the extraordinary opportunity before us and elect leaders that reflect a world that serves us all.