Here are five simple ways that can help you find your balance:

We live in a time of strong conflict energy that affects everything from our international relations to national politics to interpersonal interactions. And all of this in turn affects our internal world. Those of us that are more sensitive to the energy around us may find the world overwhelming, but even not the most empathic may have difficulty navigating the world that has so much fear, animosity, and conflict floating around. We will come out of this eventually, but for now, we need to know how to function during times that may feel too intense to handle.

1. Limit the intake. Where our attention goes, our energy flows, so become selective about where you put your attention because whether it is positive or negative, your attention will energize it. Limit the amount of news you consume. Most current media outlets (regardless of their political affiliations) focus on fear and drama of the moment simply because that is what “sells.” Be very selective about where you receive information and only consume enough to be aware of what’s happening. Leave opinion, predictions, and projections outside. Also, don’t take all claims for granted. Verify their accuracy.

2. Direct attention with intention. As you limit the intake of the news, become intentional about where you do want to put your attention because what you focus on, you energize. During a conflict, do you wish to bring about harmony? Then focus on harmony. During a war, do you wish to have peace? Then focus on peace. We are used to putting our attention on the pain. After all, if we stub our toe, the only thing we would think about is the hurt toe. That’s really why the media zooms in on the things that are hurting, erupting, falling apart. However, if we want to create balance and peace, then we have to become much more disciplined about where we direct our thoughts and intentions. In other words, if you want your toe to feel better, instead of thinking how much it hurts, spend a few moments surrounding it with healing energy and imagining it whole. If you want the world to be a place of peace and balance, don’t focus on everything that appears to be wrong at the moment. Spend time in quiet meditation surrounding the world with healing, peaceful light and imagining our planet healed and at peace.

3. Do not contribute to the conflict. If you find yourself interacting with people that have opposing life views or opinions, do not engage. Listen and let go. If you wish to share your facts, share them as YOUR views, not the ultimate truth. Many of us are used to seeing the world in a largely unified way, but it is time for us to let go of that. Reality is more complex, and we need to allow opposing views to co-exist as an affirmation that interpretation of reality depends on the observer.

4. Ground yourself. Use the Earth for support. When you feel unstable, unsure, or lost, ask the Earth to hold you up, strengthen you, and guide your steps. Close your eyes and imagine that a beautiful light cord runs through your body deep into the ground. As the cord enters the ground, it begins to look like a tree root, growing, spreading, and becoming stronger. The stronger the roots, the more stable you feel. Spend a few moments feeling the power of the Earth flowing into you, stabilizing you and strengthening you.

5. Give yourself support. If you have people that hold you up emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, make sure to spend time with them. Don’t spend much time with people who pull you down by feeding your anger, fear, resentment, and suspicion. The frequencies of those emotions will make you feel more depleted. Find ways to uplift, care for, and support yourself even if you have to do it on your own. Find small things that help you let go of the stress and anxiety. Give yourself time to go within and find a moment of peace and balance doing what you like or what calms you down.

The tensions, conflict, and heightened emotions we are experiencing on the planet now will be around for a while. We will get through them. Stay within the peace of your heart and the wisdom of your mind. Be well.