I’ve been hearing from so many of you that you’re feeling overwhelmed by what’s happening in the world right now. And if you are, you’re normal. Because it is overwhelming.
We were not designed to be in this hyper-aroused nervous system state for as long as we’ve been. Our bodies aren’t meant for it. Our minds aren’t meant for it. And yet here we are, living in a 24-hour bad news cycle that literally never ends.
You know, it didn’t used to be this way. There was a time when the nightly news was one person reporting on the day’s events without editorializing. Now it’s a circus of talking heads and pundits and narratives coming at you from every direction. And if you’re trying to be a well-informed, good global citizen without being buried under a tidal wave of bad news, that’s a really hard line to walk.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, hopeless, anxious, or paralyzed, this one is for you. And you’re not alone. I created a guided meditation, which you can grab here.
There are things you can do to keep your mental, physical, and emotional health intact right now. None of them cost money. Most of them are about changing your mind about what you’re allowed to give yourself. So here’s my psychological survival kit.
Prefer the audio? Listen here.
Curate How You Consume
I feel compelled to be informed. This is my country, this is my life. I’m a very active global citizen. But how I take in information matters. I read my news. That’s a deliberate choice. Because even with a trigger warning, if something is traumatizing, I can be deeply affected by seeing things I can’t unsee. And then the intrusive memories follow. If you’re sensitive like that, reading your news means you can stop when you need to. You can take a break.
Be discerning about your sources, too. There are fewer biased options out there. I like the BBC. I like Ground News, which tells you exactly where the information came from and whether it leans right or left. I don’t want to be in an echo chamber. I want to decide for myself, and you deserve that too.
Dial Into Your Body
Are you paying attention to what your body is telling you? Are you resting when you need to? I’ve been talking about this a lot lately because the hypervigilance so many of us are feeling can make rest feel unsafe. Like you can’t afford to stop. But you have to.
Studies show that even a 20-minute nap can make a real difference for your brain and body. My mother is going to be 89 this year. She’s been taking a 20-minute nap every day since her fifties, and she is cognitively sound. I haven’t mastered the art of napping myself, so I’m right there with you. But I’m going to try.
And if you’re feeling jacked up, if your nervous system is activated, there are small things you can do right now. Hum. Splash cold water on your face. Step outside, even for a minute. These things can help bring you back to a grounded state.
Sleep Like It Matters (Because It Does)
Give yourself permission to prioritize sleep. Make your room cool and dark. No blue lights. No phone in the room. Blackout shades if you can. Part of this is practical, and part of it is changing your mind about what you’re allowed to need right now.
Meditate (Imperfectly)
This can be challenging, which is why I’m providing a guided meditation in the free guide at terricole.com/guide. Even a few minutes of stillness can help your nervous system. I’m so much less reactive when my meditation practice is consistent, and I go through phases like everyone else. Sometimes, Vic and I are doing it religiously for years, and then I start writing a book and fall off the wagon.
If that’s you, no judgment. Let’s get back on. If you’re new to meditation, I offer free meditations on Insight Timer. If you have a butt and a couch, you’re a meditator. You don’t have to go to India. We can bring even a thimbleful of stillness into the rest of our day.
Move Your Body
To the best of your ability, move. Walk, stretch, whatever you can do. If you have physical limitations, there are chair stretching routines online that don’t require too much mobility. For me, movement is absolutely essential. I need the dopamine. I need the mood boost. And it makes me feel like I can control something when everything around me feels out of control.
Be Discerning About Who You Let In
Think about putting boundaries around the doom and gloom conversations. You know the people I mean. The sky is falling crowd. The ones where every time you get off the phone, you feel worse. I’m not saying we can’t talk about real concerns. But there’s a difference between that and being a receptacle for someone else’s negativity. It’s hard enough to manage our own. We can’t carry other people’s too.
Look for the Helpers
Mr. Rogers’ mother told him this when he was frightened by what he saw on the news. Look for the helpers. I want us to take care of ourselves so that if we have the energy and the bandwidth, we can also be the ones bestowing kindness on other people.
I curate my feed to find good stories. People coming together. Neighbors helping neighbors. Doing the right thing. And I want you to start local. What can you do in your community? Is there someone you can help? Random acts of kindness raise your dopamine. And being kind is just a good way to be in the world.
Many of the problems we’re dealing with are large and global and feel impossible. But kindness can be the bar. If you’re helping someone, you’re doing something good. If you’re being kind, you’re doing something good. That counts.
No matter where you are right now, no matter what you’re experiencing, you are not alone. And if being alone during this time of unrest feels too heavy, you’re welcome to join us inside the Terri Cole Membership, where we talk about all of these things every single week. It’s a community of like-hearted, like-minded women who show up for each other. You can check it out at terricole.com/tcm.
The only way through is together. I hope this made you feel a little more supported, because that was my whole intention.
Terri Cole Answers Your FAQ’s From The Week’s Blog
How do I stay informed without it ruining my mental health? Curate how you consume. Reading your news instead of watching it gives you more control over when to stop and take a break. Choose less biased sources and be intentional about how much time you spend consuming. Being a well-informed citizen and protecting your nervous system can coexist, but it takes deliberate choices about what you let in and when.
Why does rest feel impossible right now? When your nervous system is in a sustained state of hypervigilance, resting can actually feel unsafe. Your body may interpret slowing down as a threat because it’s been in survival mode for so long. That doesn’t mean you don’t need rest. It means you might need to give yourself explicit permission to prioritize it, even in small ways like a 20-minute nap or stepping outside for a few minutes.
How do I set boundaries with people who only want to talk about bad news? You can care about what’s happening in the world and still protect your energy. There’s a difference between having real conversations about real concerns and being a receptacle for someone else’s doom and gloom. If you consistently feel worse after talking to certain people, that’s information. It’s okay to limit those conversations or redirect them. You can’t pour from an empty bucket.
What can I actually do when everything feels out of my control? Start local and start small. Move your body. Meditate for a few minutes. Do something kind for someone in your community. These things might seem insignificant compared to the size of what’s happening globally, but they raise your dopamine, ground your nervous system, and remind you that you still have agency. Taking care of yourself is the first step toward being able to show up for anything else.
