Navigating the Chaos

In the storms of life the questions one might ask is:

• Do we thrive in chaos?
• Does chaos give us a greater sense of purpose and growth in this life?
• Does chaos make us want to hide in the closet looking for a door to Narnia?
• Or, do we encourage chaos because it distracts us from having to go within and touch the heart of hidden issues plaguing our sense of peace?

Sometimes chaos does help humanity really thrive and shine. Take the horrific “Ice Bomb” storms that blanketed over 60% of the nation this holiday season. Stories abound of heroic, life-saving acts. Yes, if chaos doesn’t occur too often or too long, helping others gives us a sense of purpose and self-love.

Do we want to hide from chaos? Well, if it keeps going on, and on, and on, it can drain a soul of its will to step out the front door.

But sometimes…. we attract chaos into our lives, pour more fuel on that fire, and become the best “dystopian” film makers ever! We can abuse our creative gifts by pointing the camera too much on the chaos “out there” and not enough within. Why, perhaps because we believe the biggest, scariest monsters lurk in the hidden corners of our memory, inside wounds that never healed, needs that went unmet, and cries that fell on deaf ears because the body’s host was too busy trying to win a Grammy award for a Blockbuster Disaster story.

In other scenarios, we can’t handle any more chaos! And let’s be honest, humanity can be one rude-dude who needs a good poke in the eye now and again.

Since that’s not an option (without serious consequences) we suck it up, put on a face (or a mask to hide our grimace) and squash that anger, hurt and betrayal deep down into our guts. It would be cool if we could just 💩 those emotions out, but no. Instead, they seep into the crevices of the body’s tissues, set up camp in the joints, and shake the nervous system awake in the wee hours of the night (if one even has the luxury of falling peacefully asleep in the first place). Eventually an existential crisis occurs. We KNOW we’re better than this, we deserve better than this, but do we have the tools to remedy the situation? What are those tools, anyway

Well for starters…

“In many shamanic societies, if you came to a medicine person complaining of being disheartened, dispirited, or depressed, they would ask one of four questions: “When did you stop dancing? When did you stop singing? When did you stop being enchanted by stories? When did you stop being comforted by the sweet territory of silence?”

― Gabrielle Roth

Tool #1: Playfulness…
Perhaps we’ve become “too adult” and forgotten how to play?

It’s ok, just look to Nature. The animals remind us to stay in communication, play outside, smile more, smell the flowers, dance with expression and sing our hearts out!

Of course, eating healthy is always a top priority!

And, Nature is always encouraging us to make new friends!

Tool#2: Leadership….
Taking back the lead role in our life movie is a most rewarding feeling! If we give all our power and inner light to someone’s else’s version of reality, bog down watching too much news, or blame our shortcomings on being a poor example of a human being, please know this: We were born for these times.

The world needs each and every one of us right now to step up to the plate, raise the bar a little higher, and help each other find inspiration, laughter, and hope. It starts as an inside job that evolves into outside action. If you’re alive and reading this, Tag! You’re it!