This post on living in balance in an imbalanced world is a companion piece with my previous post Anxiety and Depression in a World of Disharmony. In this post I describe the imbalanced world we’re living in and how it feeds anxiety and depression. I also describe what it feels like to live a balanced life in an imbalanced world. Lastly, I share some practices for living in balance and reducing anxiety and depression.
The Imbalanced World
An imbalanced world is a world of rapid, unexpected changes that feed a sense of uncertainty. Such uncertainty often stirs up anxiety and feeds depression. In fact, researchers are reporting that anxiety and depression are on the rise in the U.S. So, what’s the primary cause of imbalance?
Stress is the Primary Cause Imbalance
The primary cause of imbalance is stress. The definition of stress is adapting to change. The faster the pace of change, the higher our stress. The longer we are adapting to rapid, unexpected changes, the more fatigued we become. The more fatigued we become the more anxious and depressed we feel, the weaker our immunity, the poorer our cognitive function, and the more challenging our relationships are.
Events That Imbalance the World
Here’s a short list of events that currently feed imbalance in the world today:
1. Political upheaval due to rapid, unexpected U.S. Presidential orders causing political changes, instability, and uncertainty.
2. Political polarity: Not since the Civil War have we been so divided as a nation.
3. Overturning Roe-v-Wade and women’s rights.
4. Marginalizing minority groups such as LGBTQIA+ citizens, foreign nationals here on visas, immigrants, people with primary languages other than American English.
5. Challenges to the U.S. Constitution regarding due process, birth right citizenship, executive power, and the movement toward authoritarian rule.
6. Increased flooding of the judicial branch with challenging cases and appeals on rulings.
7. Economic instability and uncertainty as prompted by federal layoffs, cuts in funding of federal grants to non-profits, cuts in FEMA expenditures amidst federal disasters, cutting Medicaid and other federally funded health care programs, conflicts about interest rates, and tariffs coming and going from one day to the next, and increased financial burdens on States.
8. Law Enforcement actions against legal and illegal immigrants without due process, the militarization of ICE, and the president using the military against citizens and immigrants.
9. Wars: Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Gaza, Israel/the US and Iran.
10. Climate change as evidenced by historic heat, storms, flooding, and fires.
11. Attacks on the Press, false accusations of “fake news,” asserting “alternative facts”, blocking reporters who ask elected representatives challenging questions.
12. Increased conflict and bullying on social media.
13. Rapid introduction of AI to the public.
Consequences of Imbalance
The primary consequence of living in an imbalanced world is distress. For example,
- Emotional distress: increased fear, anxiety, sadness, grief, depression, disappointment, disgust, and anger.
- Physical distress: fatigue, difficulties relaxing, eating more or less than usual, fidgeting, gastro-intestinal problems, muscle tension, increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, nervousness, and insomnia.
- Mental distress: reduced ability to concentrate, take in new information, retain short term memory, store long term memory, and to make sound decisions.
- Distressed relationships: increased conflict in person and online, ignoring common ground, opposition, judging, contempt, gridlock, resistance to influence, lack of win/win compromises.
Living in Balance in an Imbalanced World
So, how do we live in balance in an imbalanced world? What helps us balance ourselves and others? And how do we feel when we do live more in balance? Here is a list of practices that can help, but only when we actually learn and practice them often.
Accept reality. Accept your external reality of an imbalanced world but also accept the external reality of your healthy relationships with family and friends, work, and other life-affirming experiences. Also accept your internal reality of emotions, physical feelings, thoughts, memories, and imaginings.
Reality doesn’t care that you think it should be different. It is what it is whether you like it or not. Resisting reality doesn’t change it. It only increases your attachment to what you don’t like about it. When you think reality should be different, your thinking feeds your imbalance and distress. As your imbalance and distress increase so does your anxiety and depression.
When you accept reality as it is, you are better able to live a balanced life in an imbalanced world. You’re better able to live a balanced life because you recognize that the world is not 100% imbalanced. It’s both balanced and imbalanced.
Reject mental fantasies. Embrace fact-based thoughts. Recognize the difference between fantasy and fact-based thoughts. Fantasy thoughts are imaginary tales that spin in your mind. They’re often about the worst possible outcomes. They feed anxiety and depression.
Fact-based thoughts are accurate descriptions of realities you see, hear, and feel in your body. They ground you in reality and serve you well. Embrace the fact that the world doesn’t have to be 100% balanced for you to live a balanced life. You can live a balanced life in an imbalanced world.
Also, embrace the fact that you don’t have to be balanced 100% of the time. You’re human. You’re going to be out of balance at times. The goal isn’t to be in balance 100% of the time. It’s to live in balance more often than not.
Make a master list of what’s distressing you now. Sort the items in your master list into two categories: what is and isn’t in your control. Acknowledge what is out of your control and stop wasting time thinking about it. Just monitor it a few minutes a day at most to stay informed about what’s going on.
Address what you can control. Write a plan for each item that you can control, and implement your plans. Gaining control over what’s in your control helps you feel grounded and balanced. It can also reduce your anxiety and depression.
Use your mind to make decisions and solve problems that are in your control.
Balance your exposure to what distresses and what calms you. Attend to both.
Connect with others you like and are in harmony with. This supports being balanced.
Feel, name, own, validate, and express all of your emotions, even when they’re unpleasant to feel. Do the same for others.
Practice self-regulation that allows your muscles to relax. When your muscles are relaxed you are smarter, faster, and stronger.
Reduce the time you spend consuming the news and social media posts. Note that most of what you read or hear in news reports and social media posts is out of your control and distressing. Spend your time on healthier activities.
Protect time for relaxing and taking in beauty.
How it Feels to Live in Balance
You’ll know you’re living a balanced life in an imbalanced world when you are—
Harmoniously connected with others who are emotion wise and empathetic, physically relaxed, mentally clear, and great listeners.
Emotion wise: able to feel, name, own, and express all their emotions and validate other’s emotions.
Physically relaxed: when your muscles are relaxed, it’s impossible to feel anxious. Relaxed muscles also increase your energy level and decrease depression.
Mentally clear: when we are in harmony with others, and emotionally and physically balanced, we have mental clarity. Mental clarity improves our ability to concentrate, listen to and remember new information, understand what we’re experiencing, and make better decisions about what we need to do.
Consequences of Living in Balance
When we live in balance in an imbalanced world, our anxiety and depression decrease or resolve altogether. They’re no longer needed. When our anxiety and depression resolve, and we feel calmer and more content, our capacity to feel grateful increases. If for no other reason, we can feel grateful for living in balance in an imbalanced world.