If you’ve been watching my social media at all, you’ve seen me talking about the book The Big Leap, by Gay Hendricks. It’s an older book, from 2009, but still very powerful. 

In this book, Dr. Hendricks challenges us to change our thoughts so that we can feel good all the time. He says that humans have evolved to be fearful, and heaven knows that we are seeing that now – so many people reacting to everything with fear and hatred. It’s a rough time, but Dr. Hendricks says we can feel good anyway.

I can hear you now – but Hadass, how can I feel good when things are so terrible around me? Surely I need to be fearful, worried and upset, or things won’t get any better. The only way to feel good, surely, is to pretend that everything is unicorns and rainbows. I have my eyes wide open, and I know that things are terrible, so that’s how I feel.

To which I believe Dr. Hendricks would respond – there is a lot going on in the world, some of which we can do things about. If you live somewhere that is in the midst of an election campaign, be sure to vote. If you can, donate and volunteer for the candidate of your choice. Go out and demonstrate if that is how you feel you can make change in the world. Wear a mask. Reduce, reuse, recycle. All actions that we can take, and many of these actions are useful and helpful.

What is not useful and helpful, however, is drowning yourself in worry and fear, without taking any action to alleviate the problems. If you feel helpless and paralyzed, you might want to ask yourself if there is anything, however small, that you can do to make the world a better place. Can you make a small donation to a local charity? Can you help a person in need? Can you bring food to someone who is self-isolating? Can you support a local business? Can you bring a smile to someone’s face? How about your own? 

Can you make sure you get sufficient rest, and that you make time to breathe and calm yourself? Don’t forget to eat well, drink water and exercise, too. Can you help others do the same?

Stepping outside your own zone of fear can be incredibly liberating – and I believe the path to get there lies in helping others. Action, however small, is the antidote to fear. Can you find the good news in the midst of the overwhelming chaos?

We are all in this together – and that is how we will come through, and how we can feel better in the midst of crisis and division. As Mr. Rogers said, look for the helpers, and see if you can become one, too. There is no better feeling than that.