How do we not lose heart when hard times drag on?
Here in the US we’re approaching the one year mark of the COVID-19 pandemic, and many of the people I’m in touch with are hitting a wall. The monotony, the stress of schools being closed, the isolation of living alone, all can begin to wear on one’s spirit.
In hard times, there are two essential skills to master: uplifting the heart and honoring difficulties.
Uplifting the heart is about finding goodness in life. This is a skill we can develop, and it takes many forms: noticing beauty, cultivating joy, deepening friendship, reflecting on gratitude, offering service, generosity, and more.
Uplifting the heart is nourishment for the spirit. Without it, we either lack the resilience to handle hardship, or we burn out.
Yet if all we do is notice the good, we may disconnect from the truth that life also includes suffering.
Uplifting the heart is balanced by honoring that which is difficult. There are countless ways to understand and find tenderness with suffering: cultivating compassion, relaxing with patience, strengthening resolve, developing wisdom and recognizing our shared humanity.
Given the likelihood that the pandemic may continue well into 2021, I thought I’d devote the next few of my newsletters specifically to taking care of the heart and staying balanced during these difficult times.
So as we begin, I invite you to take stock: what skills and resources do you already have? Knowing our resources is key to living well, giving back, and figuring out what else we need to make it through hard times.
How have you been noticing goodness and uplifting the heart? How can you find the space to honor the pain and hardship within your life and around you?
I look forward to sharing more in the weeks to come. And, if you’d like to explore these skills together, join me for Holistic Spirituality, a 3-part series at Garrison Institute on Saturdays in March.
Warmly,
Oren
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