Finding Perspective in the Midst of Chaos

Do you ever feel overwhelmed by stressful situations? It often feels they are too powerful to find any solid ground to stand on and we are left feeling hopeless and lost in the midst of the chaos. We are currently living in a stressful situation in our world, but believe it or not, this is not the first time our world has experienced such pain and stress. Read on to learn the 3 simple practices to help stay grounded in the midst of chaos. 

·      Practice # 1: Find Perspective in the Situation

Often times when I am engulfed in a stressful time or position, I have a hard time stepping away to think of how damaging it truly is to my life. For example, when I first heard the news of school being shut down due to COVID-19, I went into panic mode rather than truly looking at the facts of the danger of the virus and impact it would have on my life. Jocko Willink calls this practice of stepping away, detachment. 

“I’m not reading you correctly if I’m seeing you through my own emotion or ego. If I can step out of that, now I can see the real you and assess if you are getting angry, or if your ego is getting hurt, or if you’re about to cave because you’re just fed up with me. Whereas, if I’m raging in my own head, I might miss all of that. So being able to detach as a leader is crucial” (Ferris, T., 2017). 

So, when stressful times arise in your life, it is important to “step away”, analyze the situation, and ask what is truly happening. This will be much more effective in helping you find perspective, as opposed to reacting to all the newest articles, media, or gossip on various topics. 

·      Practice #2: Be Honest with God About Your Stress

Typically, when I am in a stressful situation, I will keep it to myself out of fear of looking vulnerable in front of other people. What I am discovering, however, is that in order to be an effective leader, I must be comfortable with sharing my flaws. I’m currently leading a college group at my local church and realizing I don’t know all the answers to the questions, so I need to be vulnerable with the group and say that I’m not an expert in all these topics. 

Just like being vulnerable with people is important, it is equally important to share with God our worries and fears about the situation. Psalm 34:4 says, “I sought the Lord and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears”. This passage shows that God is truly listening to our needs and wants to help us with our problems if we’re humble. 

Sharing our worries will also help us state our fears and will disarm the ability for it to cripple us in the moment. Give this a try next time you are full of fear in a situation.

·      Practice #3: Be Honest with Other People About Your Stress

This practice builds off the previous one because before we can be honest with other people about what we fear, we first must be honest with God. I have found helpful guidance in being honest with others about my fears and confusion because it helps me find perspective I didn’t have. 

            This is something helpful you can try by asking other people’s opinions to help you through stressful and confusing times. Especially during this period of uncertainty and division in our country, it is important to have someone to talk to, because our need for community is more important than ever. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 states this clearly by saying, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!” 

            The next time you are in a stressful and difficult situation, try talking to other people and be honest about what you’re going through. This can help give you a perspective you would have never achieved on your own. 

This next week you will face stressful and confusing situations, that is a guarantee. What you can control is how you respond to these situations. Try one or all of these practices this week and comment how they are helping you. Have a great week Guts and Braun family!

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References

Ferriss, T. (2017). Jocko Willink. In T. Ferriss, A. Schwarzenegger, & R. Geoffroi (Authors), Tools of titans: The tactics, routines, and habits of billionaires, icons, and world-class performers (p. 417). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Here is the whole podcast if you want to listen to wisdom from Jocko Willink: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqqrTLwxE_Y