So … we thought March and April were stressful … as we approach September, we might be thinking back nostalgically to that relatively simple time. 

Here in Manitoba, the whole place shut down back in March. No school, no restaurants, no cafes. All non-essential businesses closed down. The message was – stay home. We did that, and flattened the curve. We had a blissful 13 days of no new cases of COVID-19 in July. We did pay the price of a devastated economy, and kids who were out of school for months. Some handled distance learning better than others.

Now we are spiking with double-digit daily case numbers, thanks to travel and careless people. Now our Chief Public Health Officer, Dr. Roussin, is telling us that the virus will be with us for a couple of years yet, and we must learn to live with it. Schools are opening in a few weeks.

Are you stressed yet? And that’s just here in Manitoba, where we have just had our 11th death of the entire pandemic. If you live in our neighbour to the south, you probably think we have it incredibly good. Regardless, we are all living in stress city. Where can we find inner peace?

So here’s the thing about inner peace. It’s under your control. Keep reading.

Do you remember the Serenity Prayer? It is usually expressed as follows:

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

When you see things you can change, and you think they need changing, I wish you the courage to go after that change.

The majority of things in the world, though, fall under the category of things we cannot change, or more importantly, cannot control. That includes other people – all of them, every single one, including your children. People tend to find lack of control extremely stressful.

So what  can we control? What happens between our ears. It may not feel like it, but we can actually change the thoughts that lead to the emotions that we experience. It takes practice and determination, but it can be done.

But Hadass, I hear you cry. So many terrible things are happening in the world. Am I not duty-bound to be stressed and miserable? Am I not living in denial if I try to feel better? Surely, if I’m not overcome with worry, I’m being a horrible, uncaring person.

Here’s my answer: your misery and stress, and especially your worry, are not helping the world one iota. In fact, if you want to take part in changing those things that can be changed, you have to take a deep breath and get your mind under control. Stop complaining and start planning.

So how do we do that? By learning how to control our thoughts. To that end, I strongly recommend checking out the work of two young people – Gabby Bernstein and Ryan Holiday. 

Gabby is a former addict who now teaches people how to align themselves with feeling good, by reaching for the next best-feeling thought. Check out THIS LINK to learn how she does that.

Ryan has written a number of books, expounding what I call Stoicism for Millennials. Whether you are a Millennial or not (and I most certainly am not), check out THIS LINK to learn how to overcome obstacles with a calm and resolute mind.

Are you ready to take a deep breath, calm your mind and make the world a better place?