Q&A with Jayne and The Elders – May 2020

QUESTION: I am generally quite a cheerful person, but I find myself becoming overwhelmed by our world events. I am scared about the looming pandemic, not to mention the future of the planet; about global warming; I am scared that there will be a nuclear war; that this country is going bankrupt, that the politicians don’t know what they are doing. I feel as if I am living in a ruined world and I am finding it difficult to cope. Name supplied.

ANSWER: Our first instinct is to let you know that you are not alone. Right now there are many changes happening on the planet, many aspects of human life which feel uncertain and so in many ways it is not surprising that you feel this way and you are most certainly not alone with these thoughts. We want to thank you for being cheerful as much as you can and also for sharing your fears with us. We hear you and understand. 

Every time you are cheerful, you raise someone else’s spirits and that creates human connection. Every time you share your fears and admit your own vulnerability you inspire others. In this way, you are able to be of great service to the world. However, you are also struggling with your feelings about the future of the world. In your question you mention numerous areas that are troubling you and it’s true there are many challenges which can lead you to feel overwhelmed especially as it can be difficult to know where to start.

We think this is actually a brilliant gift because firstly you are awake and aware to the plight of the world and secondly because you have been born into a world that really needs you. And although you haven’t actually asked us a question, we guess it might be “What can I do?”

The short answer is to start exactly where you are. Find a good friend and talk through how you are feeling at this time, don’t edit your feelings, be truly

 yourself as you explain what is worrying you. Discuss what you options there might be locally for you to move into action in a way that would feel productive to you. Perhaps there is a local community group with the purpose of improving the world? If not, maybe you might like to start one in a specific area that matters to you. Perhaps there is a political group who is tackling the issues that matter to you at a local level where you can get involved?

There are many things you can do to make a difference and being in this community is a great place to start. You might even find other members here who would be willing to talk things through with you and maybe even collaborate together.

We also want to talk to you about the importance of hope as this is such an important quality for you to hold for yourself and the world. Hope is not just a childish notion with no place in the adult world, it is actually a critical survival mechanism for all humans. When you feel hopeless, life can lose its meaning and you can easily feel emotionally drained. This is not a good place to find yourself. When you have hope you can be more resilient and persevere even when things feel impossible - where there is hope, there is always a way. Ask yourself what you can feel hopeful about and focus your attention there. 

It is clear that something needs to change for you. Moving into action in productive ways will help you to feel as though you are contributing to the solution, rather than sitting back and settling to become part of the problem. This is your spiritual calling - there is a bigger opportunity beckoning to you now, to step outside your comfort zone and find your place in the world. To use your voice to inspire movement and change, to communicate with others in purposeful ways. And to do this with compassion and kindness to yourself and others. That would be a meaningful life for you.