fear

How to Reduce Stress During COVID-19 (And Other Things We Can't Control)

One major thing this Coronavirus pandemic has called our attention to, is how little control we actually have in life. This has been and always will be the case. Viruses and other threats to our well-being have always existed and will always exist. I don’t mean to create even more anxiety by saying this, but we’re all about the facing the truth here. Even when it’s not a truth we like.

On Fear During the Coronavirus

Oh man, fear can be a beast! It can get right on in there, take over, and control everything. If we let it.

Fear is our most primal emotion. Absolutely necessary for survival. Yet, we live in a time when there’s actually the least amount of threat to our survival in history. Still we experience the highest levels of fear and stress.

Mindful Monday: Mindfulness of Emotions

I’ve been feeling some things the last day or so. By things, I mean emotions. More uncomfortable emotions than I’d care to feel. There’s some good ol’ sadness, anger, and resentment mixed in with a bit of fear and regret. I’d rather not feel this way so there’s been some resistance to feeling them. Which is never helpful. But alas I’m as human as the next person, no matter how much I try to fight it. 

Mindful Monday: Transforming Fear to Courage

One thing I noticed in particular as I looked at these movements (whether big or small) is that  the struggle between fear and courage is always at the forefront. As I made my way to present day, I reflected on how badly some people want a wall between the United States and Mexico. While I won’t pretend to know the first thing about border security, I do know that if we’re putting up walls, figuratively or for real, it’s because we’re afraid.

Getting Back on the Horse (Or Whatever You Fell Off Of)

I tell most people that I moved out to southern California for grad school but really the surf was calling me. Grad school sounds like a much more reasonable explanation for traversing across the country to a place I knew no one. But I paddled out into the waves before I even started classes.