The Two Worlds

The world out there and the world right here inside and around us.

It was evening all afternoon.   
It was snowing   
And it was going to snow.   
The blackbird sat   
In the cedar-limbs.
- Wallace Stevens

Man, what a mess it’s been.

Sometimes, it feels like we’ve been running one of those hundred mile ultramarathons only it’s uphill the whole way. And then it’s not just 100 miles, because the race keeps going and we have no idea where the end is. 

We just have to keep running.

It’s been this way since maybe the beginning of the 2016 presidential campaign?

Political divisiveness has fueled increasing stress. Then COVID dropped two years ago adding chronic worries for our physical well being and fostering even more derision on all sides.

I see it everywhere and now with the war in Ukraine there’s this sense of -

Now this? After everything we’ve already been through?

So how are we supposed to cope with the seemingly endless stressors mixed with uncertainty about the future?

I can only speak about myself here. Some of this might resonate for some of you so I’m just going to lay it out.

The Two Worlds

The first thing and maybe most critical is an awareness that there are two worlds. The world out there and the world right here inside and around us.

The world out there is filled with noise and worry. The crises mentioned above are real but they are distorted and magnified through 24/7/365 streams of news media, rabid opining, plus social media garbage and doom-scrolling.

This world out there contains the things we have little control over.

The world right here inside and around us contains our immediate personal life. This includes the thoughts we fill our minds with, the people we surround ourselves with, and the actions we take daily.

These are the things we have some control over.

The Boundary

I set a boundary between the two worlds.

I focus most of my energy on the world inside and around me. This doesn’t mean I’m totally oblivious to the world out there but it does mean limiting my own exposure to it.

I approach this in a few ways.

Unplugging - I unplug. I turn off the phone and leave it in a drawer. 

In fact, once I publish and tweet out this post I am writing right now, I will put the phone away and get offline until tomorrow (Monday) morning. I call this digital fasting and make certain to do it a couple times per week, sometimes more, and especially during the weekends and holidays.

Mindfulness - This is related to unplugging. To me, mindfulness means being where I am, doing what I’m doing, and being with the people I am with.

I’m not a great meditator but I do find that going for long walks in nature and listening to great music allow me to get with my thoughts and feelings. I also love to cook for my family and share meals.

Movement - This is related to mindfulness. I move almost every day and make sure to sweat often. Whether it is walking, running, resistance, rowing, whatever.

Expression - I write almost daily at this point. This provides a great way for me to focus on my thinking and to refine it. 

Love - Opening myself up to deep feelings for my family and those I care about most lets me be with them in a series of moments I will always have and hold close.

I include gratitude in this.

For those who might be more interested in exploring the distinctions between the two worlds, I recommend Frankl who has influenced me deeply.