We all know things are heating up, especially with President Biden stepping down as a Presidential candidate. Recently, conversations inevitably turn to dark events – climate, politics, wars. Some people might express a hopelessness of anything changing for the better. To calm our psyches might it be better to just not watch or read the news? After all, reporters and newscasters rarely give us news that is positive or hopeful.
Well folks, I assert that shutting down and giving up hope is not the answer. In fact, I don’t think it’s even possible to seal ourselves off from all that’s bringing us down. I assert there are some quite simple and effective actions we can each take to help cool us – and our communities down.
I’ll start with a few of such actions. Hopefully they will trigger some of your own ideas.
1. Become attentive to simple ways to interact with a stranger: opening doors for someone; a brief interaction in a store when two of you are searching for an item on a crowded shelf; interacting with others in a long line at checkout; even smiling and complementing someone’s choice of a shirt or top that looks cooling.
2. Check in with a neighbor or elderly friend about how they are handling the hot weather and if there is anything you could do for them.
3. In conversations, try to be curious about someone’s different opinion regarding the political scene.
The cooling effect of loving connections to others needs to be turned on.
I’m Connie Seraphine, keeping cool
