It’s hard out there. We live in a time of demanding personal schedules, rising anxieties, hectic political upheavals, and generational changes. Sometimes, it feels like a challenge keeping your adrenal gland in check. Most of us want to contribute to a calmer, safer, and more forgiving planet, but without taking the time to keep yourself grounded, it’s easy to get swept downstream. Here are our tips on how to stay sane in the face of a demanding world…

Gifts of Tiny Kindness

There are a million clichés along the lines of a small stone casts great ripples and it's true. If you feel the weight of overwhelm when it comes to making grand contributions to the world, then tiny acts of kindness will certainly do. Whether it's buying a coffee for the person in line, babysitting your friend's kids so they get a night out, or giving a pair of gloves to the person sitting out in the street. These small acts all add up to helping curate positive changes in perception and feelings of warmth inside.

Feel What You Feel

In this wild and crazy modern world, it seems to be a trend to spiritually wash over your real feelings. Positive intentions and feelings are important, but you shouldn’t try to override all your negative thoughts. Negative thoughts teach us things; they show us where our anxieties sit and can help lead us to find our deeper authentic selves. Rather than leaning into feeling positive about everything, commit to allowing yourself to feel what you feel but without wallowing in it. Allowing yourself space to be true to your feelings will help you feel more grounded, which in turn, ensures you stay connected.

Seek Pockets of Joy

Doom and gloom doesn’t have to be the only thing on the menu. Even amid all the harsh political debates, climate uncertainty, and personal strife – be sure to seek pockets of joy and carve out time for pleasure. Even if it's taking a day to go and ride rollercoasters at the fair, taking up a new hobby, jumping in the sea, or reading a great book while having a long bath. We can’t always expect pleasure to simply fall in our lap, sometimes it takes tracking it down ourselves.

Get Offline

Even if just for a couple of hours in the morning, an afternoon or a full day – being constantly in the firing line for social media can send your head whirring. Many of us check our email as soon as we crack open our eyelids which can lead to instant anxiety due to the endless overwhelm of news (both worldly and personal). Give yourself a break by shutting down all devices for a dedicated amount of time. It's unrealistic to think that we can go off social media for days, but an hour or two instead – where you can go for a walk, read a book and generally escape the online chaos works wonders for the soul.

Get Grounded

Whether you choose to bring yoga into your life, opt for breathwork, take up therapy, or try and brush up on your meditation skills – choose an outlet or practice that helps you to feel good and grounded. It doesn’t even have to be a spiritual practice; ballet, surfing, running – all these activities give you a much-needed break from inside your head and invite you to be present in the body. This reduces anxiety, can help manage depression and will ensure that you stay with one foot on the floor regardless of what’s going on in the world around you.

What micro methods do you have for staying sane in a demanding world? Share your survival techniques in the comments below.