Difficult times require special attention. I realise that the political and economic situation in Germany and what is happening in the world is unsettling me. An ‘all will be well’ mantra is hardly the solution in these times of uncertainty. No, I look, I notice. And at the same time, I make sure I don’t get lost in a loop of fear. More important than ever for me: asking questions, being open – and remaining critical at the same time.
Nevertheless, I see the fear. Everywhere. And people’s increasing lack of impulse control scares me. At the supermarket checkout, I politely ask the lady in front of me whether she is queuing on the left or right. When she replies ‘where it’s quickest’, I say ‘OK’ and decide to put my shopping on the conveyor belt on the right. This makes the lady angry and she rebukes me in an over-teaching manner. She asks me if I didn’t understand her. She accuses me of rudeness.
When we feel threatened and triggered by everything and everyone, we are in the energy of fear. I know this place very well. It’s a one-way street. To get out of this one-way street, we need the ability to regulate ourselves. This is only possible through self-observation & self-reflection – through exploring our own needs and feelings. And it’s about a sense of responsibility towards our own behaviour.
As we cannot change the world, it is essential to find a way to actively break free from our fear loop again and again. Because it stops us. It makes us blind, insensitive and unable to manoeuvre. The antidote to fear is trust. And we find trust through our inner resources. Yes, this takes time and energy. But what do we want to wait for? Let’s start living.
Discipline is the highest form of self-love.