Tag Archive for: self care

10 Tips to Cope with Anxiety in Times of War

A few years ago after yet another school shooting in the US, I created a parent brainstorming group including a dad who was part of the I.D.F. who lived in Tel Aviv, Israel. He talked about living in times of crisis and war. People are powerful, resilient and have endured the best and worst of times, and unfortunately, war has been part of human experience since time immemorial. I hope that someday, we evolve out of this base and egregious propensity within us.

It happens all too often in human history that pathetic and weak men, conscienceless malignant narcissists, sociopaths and exceedingly destructive autocrats rise to power, lying to the masses with false hopes and promises and silencing anyone who poses any voice of dissent. It is the time and age, again, of global dictators, whose power is unbridled and capable of destroying no less than all life on earth. No one wishes to live to see these times…

10 Ways to Stay Sane When the World Feels Like It’s Falling Apart (and indeed may very well be!)

It’s Tibetan New year, and I’m on retreat alone here in my mountain home today. Again, this year, I’m not really feeling that social. I recall it was 2018, and I was on a 30 day meditation retreat two years before Covid and Trump was fully in office. I was working in state politics as an insider activist and prayed to “Source” for insight and guidance and here is what arose.

One of my teachers, Dr. Nida Chenagtsang, also an astrologer, just got through with a Tibetan New Year’s talk and he said that 2025 is  the darkest of years called a “Great Black Year” (ནག་པོ་ཆེན་པོ་). Israel, Gaza Ukraine, and Elon Batsh*t Madness X, Inc. are rapidly fostering the fires of global instability and I feels like it’s better to be sober and prepared. Hope for the best, but indeed prepare for the worst. It is time to prepare for the worst.

Indeed global upheaval and war is terrifying. Even if it’s happening halfway across the world, just seeing the incessant headlines and our news-feed can leave us feeling anxious, sad, or downright hopeless. It’s normal to feel that way, but it doesn’t mean we have to let those feelings take over our lives. I’ve complied ten practical ways to deal with uncertainty and anxiety when war is happening and impending.

1. Control Our Media Intake (Seriously, Put the Phone Down, Shut Down the Computer)

We all do it— it’s like the inability to turn away from a car crash. Doom-scrolling through endless toxic bad news, reading every horrifying update which are now, moment to moment, and watching distressing videos that only make us feel worse. While it’s imperative to stay informed, too much exposure can make us feel like we are drowning in negativity. The forces that be, want us to feel afraid, hopeless and apathetic. I refuse to do that.

Try setting limits on when and how often you check the news. Maybe once in the morning and once in the evening is enough. I limit it to 20 minutes in the am and pm. My husband now will not watch the morning mainstream news, we just listen to the weather channel, and with hurricanes, earthquakes and fires, that’s plenty of apocalyptic imagery to process!

We avoid news right before bed so we are not lying awake at night stressing about things we can’t control. And if you find yourself constantly refreshing X or Facebook (which I deleted 2 years ago thankfully, and I have never once ever regretted it), take a step back and engage in something that calms you down—whether that’s listening to soothing music, going for a walk, or just breathing for a minute. I just downloaded a sleep app that has white noise, nature sounds and a gong bath. I refuse to let these wars and geopolitics destroy every semblance of inner well-being.

2. Don’t Fall for Misinformation, I did.

In times of crisis, propaganda and false information spread like wildfire and they want to feed us mind numbing distractions. The other day I posted disturbing info on Instagram about ICE raids in schools and they never happened. I SHUT DOWN most propaganda new sources owned by nefarious billionaires, like the Washington Post, X and Facebook, they are “gone, gone, gone beyond, gone utterly beyond!” I did join Bluesky Social as that is free press, please join me there. Whether it’s these propaganda headlines, misleading images, “alternative facts” or straight-up fake news, it’s easy to get sucked into a cycle of panic over things that aren’t even true, and god-forbid, share it!

Please dear friends, before you share anything, ask yourself:

  • Who posted this? Is it from a reliable source?
  • Where did this information come from?
  • When was it published? (Old news often resurfaces during new conflicts.)
  • Why is it being shared? Does it seem like it’s meant to stir up fear or anger?

Being a responsible consumer of news helps keep unnecessary panic in check—for you and everyone else. Spread only truth and solutions.

3. Spread Kindness, Not Hate

Unfortunately, war can fuel discrimination and misplaced anger. If you hear someone making false, racist or hateful comments, try to educate them—calmly. (No need to start a shouting match or online diatribe.) Remind them that war is caused by governments and political agendas, not innocent civilians. Compassion is more powerful than blame.

I’m pretty much pissed at everyone now: the long term slow moving coup that started from the early days of the KGB and Russia’s firm hand in our national destruction and demise. Us electing a convicted felon, what good would we think could come of that? The people that voted for Trump, the 12 million previous Biden voters from 2020 that sat out from voting in 2024 because they accused Kamala of enabling Gaza’s genocide and now it’s much much, worse for them with a proposed occupation, for everyone.

My Buddhist friends who use our tradition to do nonsensical magical thinking and religious faith healing things like: constant escapist retreat, wrathful mantras like they did when Tibetan was falling and inane things like burying Buddha image statues in rocks instead of really getting their hands dirty and helping others and our world. I do think the time of true action has come, beyond the inefficacy of “thoughts and prayers”.

I noticed the tendency to blame entire countries, cultures, or communities for what’s happening. This kind of thinking only makes things worse. In our Buddhist tradition, we say “drive all blames into one,” and we take powerful vows to help the world in a real, personal way. It’s high time that these vows are called upon to act.

 

4. Taking Care of Our Mental Health

Our emotions are valid. Feeling anxious, angry, or heartbroken about people being hurt, conflict and war is completely natural. Instead of bottling it up, find ways to process your feelings:

  • Write it out. Journaling can help make sense of our thoughts.
  • Breathe deeply. Try the 5-5-5 method: Inhale for 5 seconds, hold for 5 seconds, exhale for 5 seconds.
  • Move your body. A quick workout, a walk outside, or even dancing around your room can do wonders for your stress levels.
  • Talk to someone. Whether it’s a friend, family member, or therapist, talking it out helps more than you think.

Like the famous Serenity Prayer, can do what we can, and accept the things we can not control. If you’re struggling to manage your emotions, don’t hesitate to reach out for professional help. For example, I will try to process and forgive my friends for what I mentioned above, and move into solutions. There’s nothing weak about taking care of yourself.

peaceful-protest-ukraine

5. Do Something Positive

Feeling powerless is one of the worst parts of watching a war unfold from within our nation and from afar. But even small actions can help us regain a sense of control. Vow now to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

  • Donate to humanitarian organizations helping those affected like the ACLU, Save the Children and Doctors Without Borders.
  • Support the vulnerable populations and refugees in your immediate community.
  • Participate in peaceful advocacy efforts, protest and demonstrate now. It’s high time to hit the streets. Please read up on Non-Violent Protest, it is exceedingly effective.
  • Write letters to our elected officials expressing your concerns, but be respectful if you intend to be heard.
  • Simply check in on a friend or family member who’s feeling overwhelmed.

Taking action—no matter how small—can make a big difference, both for others and for your own mental well-being.

6. Create a Daily Routine

A structured day can bring a sense of normalcy and wellness when everything feels chaotic. Stick to a routine that includes work, rest, exercise, and activities that make you happy and connect to joy and bliss. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said:

“Make sure you still feel joy, connect to friends, family and celebrate, even if there are many problems in the world. If we have no joy, what are we doing this all for?”

Knowing what’s coming next can reduce anxiety. I have a morning plan, I do 20 minutes of cardio, 15 minutes of yoga and 15 minutes of meditation before I start every day. This self-care time is invaluable in these dark times. I am including a free wellness plan that you can print out and use for daily support.

7. Set Boundaries in Conversations

The other night, it was 10pm and I just watched Rachel Maddow on MSNBC. I wanted to discuss geopolitics with my husband and he said “we can’t talk about these heavy things at night before bed.” Not everyone processes world events the same way. If talking about the news is overwhelming, it’s okay to set boundaries like my husband does. Let friends and family know if you need a break from discussions about politics and war.

8. Focus on What You Can Control

You can’t alone stop a national upheaval or war, but you can certainly control your daily actions. Focus on things within your reach—your work, your relationships, and how you respond to stress. When the world feels uncertain, small personal victories and things that nurture you, matter. Do what you love, follow your bliss, the sun still shines every day.

9. Connect with Your Community

Love is much stronger than hatred and fear. Whether online or in-person, being around supportive people can make a huge difference. Join groups that focus on positive action, spend time with loved ones, or simply reach out to check on a friend.

10. Give Yourself Permission to Step Away

It’s okay to disconnect sometimes. I’m vowing to 50% retreat and 50% action from now on, and yes, that is more than just protector mantras. Personal retreat, self care and taking a break from the news or stepping away from social media doesn’t mean you don’t care—it means you’re taking care of yourself. You don’t have to be plugged in 24/7 to make a difference. One of my teachers said that “you can’t help people to be liberated from pain and suffering with hatred and aggression.” I concur.

Final Thoughts

These times are very scary for everyone, I suppose, unless you are an oligarch. The uncertainty, the injustice, the dismantling of our government by the invisible hand of a vindictive foreign enemy power, the violence, the suffering—it’s a lot to process. But you don’t have to let it all consume you.  our life is our life, for however long we have. By being mindful of our media intake, avoiding misinformation, choosing kindness, taking care of our mental health, and finding positive ways to help, we can stay grounded even in chaotic times. Try to eat well, exercise, make each moment meaningful. Happiness is indeed, an act of civil disobedience!

You can’t control everything happening in the world, but you can control how you respond to it. You have your own emotional and psychological sovereignty. Find a deep repository of inner strength and light that you may not have known before. That is more powerful than you might think.

All my love and well wishes to all. May the light someday return.

Dawn

 

Complied from these Sources:

https://ww2.georgiasouthern.edu/students/counseling/resources/student-resources/coping-with-war-and-terrorism/

https://www.unicefusa.org/stories/5-tips-dealing-uncertainty-times-war

https://www.voicesofyouth.org/blog/5-tips-dealing-uncertainty-times-war

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/war-anxiety-how-to-cope-202205232748

Photo by Ron Lach : https://www.pexels.com/photo/globe-flooded-with-black-goo-and-covered-by-a-hand-7965690/

Photo by Eugenia Sol: https://www.pexels.com/photo/peaceful-protest-in-zagreb-supporting-ukraine-30886118/

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How I recovered from insomnia and acute anxiety in just 5 days!

How It Happened

I volunteer in state politics. It was the night that insurrectionists stormed the Capitol in D.C. I have friends that I love and care for that work there and the fear hit my system really hard. I was doing a solitary retreat and a cleansing new years’s juice fast, which makes you particularly open, feeling and vulnerable to, well, everything. I made the mistake of doing some pretty powerful yogic exercises with breath retention too, that, in retrospect, I should not have been fasting while performing them, a lesson now learned.

That night, with the confluence of everything, I had a full on panic attack. I could not sleep, and it got so bad that my nerves just gave out, shaking, overcome by fear. I could feel this odd overheating going up the spine to my head, pretty classic Kundalini syndrome or what Tibetans call a wind imbalance or Tsog Lung. This struggle went on for 3 nights. I finally broke down and took one exceedingly strong sleeping pill, for one night, that acts also as an anti-convulsant called Clonazepam, that cut the momentum of the fear and got me to sleep. However, I wanted to fix this and come back into balance by myself. I’m happy to say, I found a full cure, and was sleeping soundly by night 4, naturally, with no sleeping pills!

If you ever have your practice go wrong, anxiety or insomnia, or life and fear just hits an overwhelm, I wanted to offer what helped me get through it and come back into balance. I took 5 full days and I limited my work time to do an immersive, home self care intensive to recover. I’m happy to say that I came out better then ever, calm, healed and sleeping soundly.

The Natural Cure

I am not a doctor and cannot offer medical advice. Please do see a doctor, teacher or acupuncturist for professional advice if needed, but here is what helped me:

  1. I called my meditation teachers who know me- and they gave me some personal meditation instructions that I was so grateful for, and told me to discontinue all breath-work and yoga practice for some time.
  2. I went in for a full checkup with blood-work to my medical doctor, got acupuncture and a Ku-nye warm oil massage with a Tibetan Doctor.
  3. I took a relaxing Epsom salt bath twice a day with lavender essential oils in it and then rubbed rose body oil or sesame oil all over head to toe! I dried off and kept my body really warm, extra clothes and blankets, and a fire.
  4. I stopped the juice fast and ate heavy, oily, grounding, deeply nutritive foods- organic bone marrow broth, steamed vegetables with butter.
  5. The Chinese doctor had me take a safe, herbal formula called “Jitters Away”* along with goat’s milk colostrum to mend the nerves. *take with supervision
  6. At night before bed, I took some vitamins and amino acids including: 5htp, Magnesium, Inositol, L-Theanine and Gaba. *Dosages should be taken under the guidance of a functional medicine practitioner.
  7. I rubbed a small amount high quality CBD salve with arnica onto my arm, on the soft spot where the arm bends.
  8. I had this happen on retreat a few years back, so reread the VERY BEST INSOMNIA BOOK, and followed the author’s advice that puts you back on track for sound sleep. In sum, you do a mantra before bed that says: “I’m a good sleeper, my body knows how to sleep.” You can rub you feet together and rub your belly to bring the “energy” down.
  9. I stopped all caffeinated coffee, went to decaf and calming teas like chamomile with natural, non-stimulating sugars like monkfruit or coconut. Before bed, warm milk with Ashwagandha.
  10. I worked out on a elliptical gently each morning and /or went for long gentle walks in the sun, and did some very gentle stretching, sun salutations and hatha yoga.
  11. I listened to calming music and kept my space clean, and fresh. I lit candles and incense at night, with some simple formless meditation.
  12. I shut down ALL social media, and turned off the news for a few days; what wonders that does to heal the nerves!

 

candles

What I Learned

Well, I recall a few years ago the same thing happen to me while I was practicing these intense yogas on retreat. It took me eight months to fully recover and it was hard fought. I wanted to see if the same problem would recur and sure enough it did. I was consulting with the Tibetan medical doctor and he told me that we all have a certain elemental propensity, what they call the humors. Some people have: wind, phlegm or bile imbalances or propensities. People that have a lot of thoughts and ideas and are emotionally sensitive, tend toward having a wind imbalance. It means that your life force energy can quickly move upwards, to the head, and so when you do certain yogic practices this can definitely exacerbate this and cause an imbalance.

I almost think nowadays that the spiritual path is body based and it’s a process of getting to be in touch with yourself physically and emotionally, to notice how you’re doing. We use the analogy of the mastery of being able to “ride the horse” of your life force, rather than have it trample over you. If we’ve taken on too much, heartbreak and stress buildup and can cause insomnia and anxiety or other health problems, like heart disease and ulcers. It’s your body and mind’s way of loudly telling you that you have to go into self-care and give it more support.

Nowadays, with media and 24/7 global television, we can feel everything that’s happening in the world. We all know it’s been a very difficult past few years. Those of us who care and are sensitive can be really affected by these things, so we have to protect our energy and be mindful of how much news we take in, and how much time we spend on social media. We can’t help the world if we are overcome by fear and anxiety.

Self-care, a feeling of inner love, warmth and well-being is the basis with which we can live a full and meaningful life. I realize that if I can take care of myself, support myself, and be in mind/body/spirit balance, that warmth can extend to others. I learned a lot from this process and it developed more of an awareness of how to ground and stay in tune throughout the day. I’m also grateful to know that if anything does happen, any type of trauma, loss or overwhelm, I have this immersive self-care method to calm down and reconnect to myself as an ultimate protection. Try some of these lifestyle changes, and you might find that you are free from anxiety and can sleep very deeply, waking ready for each day!

Wellness wishes to everyone, and if you’d like any more details about what methods I used to heal, please contact me anytime.

Dawn Boiani-Sandberg

https://www.rockymountainsomatics.com

 

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels
Photo by Taryn Elliott from Pexels
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I’m Having A Secret Love Affair (With Myself) and It’s Going Viral

How to completely heal from narcissistic abuse, loss of one’s faith and become a light in a darkening world.

 

I grew up in a rough culture on the east coast of the United States, in Newport, Rhode Island. I was raised by a teenage mother who didn’t really have any capacity to love me. My dad left when I was 3 and the environment before then was riddled with fighting, alcoholism and violence. She remarried right away but I think due to the trauma, she was always preoccupied with herself. She seemed always in fear, very controlling, involved with vanity, how she looked, how she appeared to the world and everything centered around her and her needs. She was emotionally somewhat histrionic and the whole family walked on eggshells in fear of her temper and her hostile reaction toward us. There was no room for me and in the home, I was considered a nuisance. I was then spanked by my stepfather weekly, criticized often and spent most of my time alone in my room. I cried untold tears. I was told I was ugly, devalued and ignored and oftentimes my mother said that she wish that she never had me.

I went to school always thinking that I was a misfit and there’s something deeply wrong with me and I really wasn’t worthy of love. So I started to read a lot of books and I studied really well and I always tried to make the teachers happy with me because that was the only sense of appreciation from anyone in authority that I had. I was really close with my teachers, got the perfect grades and one time my teacher even said to my mom that I was really bright, so much so that I should go to a special school for the gifted. The teacher was concerned because I was also really sensitive and I would get bullied and beaten up and teased a lot. This all now makes sense how I grew up because if I didn’t feel a sense of worth and confidence, small children could pick up on that weakness and I’ve always been targeted for my vulnerability.

Because of the teenage pregnancy and the pain my mother suffered and her fear, she was somewhat dissociated and unwell. I would try to spend time with her and she would send me away. I realized later that she had developed into becoming a full spectrum narcissist that was not capable of loving anyone other than thinking of herself. There was no way that we could ever resolve it as mother and daughter, since part of the narcissistic mindset denies it’s own hostility and projects all negative qualities onto other people. Narcissists, as well as other personality disorders, often must have a target of their shadow and blame. For my entire life for her, I was the chosen one. Thanks Mom!

I was fortunate in my later years to discover a book called Healing the Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers, and sought counseling with the author Dr. Karyl McBride, a co-survivor. What I realized is that narcissism at it’s root, is the healthy longing for a person to take care of themselves, gone awry. What I realized is that, if we actually feel a sense of inner love and well-being, from there we can love others. The narcissists attempt to pay attention to something that’s broken inside is at it core, correct. Where it goes wrong is that the foundation of real healing and self-love is not there and in fact it’s often an emotional vacuum, devoid of compassion. From that vacuum, you begin to see others as something that you can use to fill up that hollowness and heal a core of fundamental self hatred.

Part of the fallout in this life was of course in my adulthood, to  recreate the pattern of feeling broken and bullied and looking for other friends, lovers and organizations to make everything right. This is the quintessential codependent  person that likewise feels broken and unwell and uses other people like a drug to put a giant Band-Aid on their loneliness. I would follow rock stars and then cult-like spiritual groups and none of this was super healthy because it was predicated on me feeling hollow, and unworthy looking for something, anything outside of myself to fill the void.

journaling

A NEW DAY… uncover bulletproof self love and genuine warmth for others

There’s a Buddhist slogan that says “be grateful to everyone.” I am not angry or bitter that anyone hurt me in this life, they probably had a harder time than I did, and maybe suffer even more. My spiritual community who I used to find solace and meaning in, recency dismantled in the wake of #metoo. I discovered later that guru worship had a lot of covert, exploitative narcissists, it figures that these communities felt somehow familiar. I found myself adrift, really, palpably alone. I decided to take a genuine honest look at my life, who I really am rawly and what matters to me. I feel like I gained my identity through this spiritual community and my friends there and without that, I felt devastated. I have my family but everything was starting to fall apart into an abyss and I wondered, what really has any meaning?

So from there, I decided to really go inward and not depend upon anything or anyone to make me feel better. I began to shutdown social media for longer lengths of time as to not depend upon people liking my posts to faux-foster self-esteem. I took some time to go into solitary retreat as much as I could. I was away from my husband and daughter and taking silence from some friends. I began to journal, meditate and begin the most rigorous process of self inquiry I could muster.

Then, something dawned upon me, a basic truism that I guess everyone else at figured out, but it’s taken me 50 years to realize…

I can’t love another person in a healthy way unless I have strong core of real self-love and self well-being to rely on.

This was my Aha! moment. I asked myself- how to have this life feel meaningful, how to love others and with hope, be of benefit? I can’t be codependent and broken and needing other people or religion or paltry social media to define who I am and make me feel better. I knew that was never going to work, so I decided- let’s start at square one, go into radical self-care and have a love affair with… myself… saucy. It’s a perfect time because all of us are on somewhat of a social timeout with the pandemic so it’s a great time to go inward.

A NEW RETREAT INTO JOY

I decided to get up in the morning and do some stretching or some cardio, enjoy sipping dark coffee and take warm essential oil baths. During my retreats over the years I use to meditate 8 to 10 hours a day and do a lot of chanting and complex visualizations. This time, I decided to just take time for me without any schedule or agenda, and just let life talk to me about what is fun and reconnect the sense of magic and wonder that maybe I’ve never even had in childhood. I decided to take a week or so and have absolutely no schedule (and I do feel grateful for the privilege to be able to take this time). I did whatever I wanted to do, if I wanted to journal on my blog, I would write, if I wanted to go for a walk I’d go for a walk, if I want to bake something special for myself I would. If I wanted to cry, I’d cry, whatever was there was listened to and honored, nothing repressed. It’s actually kind of outrageous to take even a day, a weekend, a week or a month to just feel alive, go outside and feel grass under your feet, feel sun on your cheeks, lay on a hammock and see a cloudless sky, and just feel like this life is yours, rather than always having to do something for work or for someone else.

This is where a little tiny light inside my heart started to shine and turn on. I could see it in my eyes when I looked at myself in the mirror, I began to feel the sense of self-love and self appreciation and gratitude for this life. I don’t think I really had this before, it’s taken more than half of my life to finally feel this, and it required that I let go of my tradition, every spiritual, ego prop and support.

 

self care

 

I begin to see how real love and real well-being works since it’s never been modeled to me before. If we have this inner spark of warmth, the power and efficacy of that can’t be underestimated. The cultivation of inner warmth can give us so much strength to be able to handle these darkening times. If we can take refuge in our own inner love and well-being in real way, we can’t be narcissistic or codependent, these facets of the same brokenness dissolve. In Buddhism, we call this maitri and and it’s considered a wish fulfilling jewel or diamond. Inner warmth is like a diamond because if you think about it for a minute, if someone criticizes you it may hurt but it doesn’t stick because you know yourself and are grounded in your own well-being. Likewise, if someone complements you or likes your social media, it doesn’t get used as ego’s fodder. We consider this process of compliment and criticism to be one of the worldly dharmas. Things are always arising in duality, both positive and negative, we have both floods and rainbows, love and loss, everything is always changing. Behind that, there’s an inner mountain of real strength that we can access, that we can have our own backs, even up unto our last breath. Through taking time for this deep self care, a love affair firstly with ourselves, we can finally uncover this real, bulletproof inner warmth and joy. You’ve heard the cliche, “you can’t love anyone if you can’t love yourself.” If the relationship with ourselves is caring with positive self talk, we can then create healthy interactions with others, with qualities of real compassion, listening, patience and problem solving.

“Tune in, turn on” and shine your light into these dark times my dear friends, it can help to change our very world. ☀️

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