How to Focus Your Energy When Everything Feels Like a Crisis

About this episode

The episode explores how to find joy amidst overwhelming life challenges and the importance of community support.

In this episode, I am exploring a difficult but necessary question: How do we find joy when the "weeds" of life feel overwhelming? I discuss the vital difference between reacting to an acute crisis and sustaining yourself for the long haul. I share what I am witnessing on the ground, including the incredible mutual aid groups delivering food, walking kids to school, and supporting neighbors in need. We also talk about the importance of not looking away while still protecting your peace. Finally, I share a personal story about a recent trip to Arizona where I made a purposeful choice to be "dazzled" by the little things (even wild boars) to refill my cup. If you are feeling burned out, anxious about the state of the world, or just tired, this episode is for you. In this episode, we cover: 00:00 Welcome to Wonder in the Weeds 02:07 The reality of the current crisis and occupation in the Twin Cities 05:49 How to decide where to focus your energy when everything feels urgent 11:19 The power of community care: Meal trains, rides, and mutual aid 18:35 Managing news consumption to avoid burnout 23:27 Why holding space for immigrant rights and women’s safety matters 27:42 "Instructions…

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Cristie Ritz-King

Topics covered

• crisis management
• community care
• mental health
• finding joy
• burnout prevention

Keywords

• joy
• crisis
• community aid
• mental health
• burnout
• Arizona
• Mary Oliver

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Mary Oliver

Places: Twin Cities, Arizona

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