What a difference a week makes. Last Sunday, I was writing about fresh starts and the power of manifesting our dreams for the new year. Now, with the Los Angeles fires, everything feels different.
The weight of this week’s events with the Los Angeles fires has been profound. My son and his girlfriend are safe with us after evacuating their neighborhood. It got me thinking about how we handle ourselves during times like these – where we put our energy when everything feels heavy and uncertain.
I caught myself spending too much time watching the news and scrolling through social media channels filled with finger-pointing theories about the fires. Yesterday, when I felt my mood spiraling, I realized I needed to stop and check in with myself. I’d drifted so far from my original intent of concern and allowed all these external voices drain my energy and cloud my perspective.
There’s a delicate balance we need to strike. When we’re tired, stressed, and experiencing those HALT emotions (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired), it’s easy to slip into a cycle of negative thinking. Even with pure intentions of sending prayers and love to those affected, we can easily find ourselves catastrophizing about the situation and all the potential scenarios. This energy, though well-meaning, can sabotage our ability to help others effectively.
As I mentioned in last week’s letter about manifestation and the power of our thoughts, what we focus on matters greatly. Bethany Frankel, the founder of a crisis response team for disaster victims, put it perfectly yesterday: “This isn’t a time for placing blame—it’s a time for action.”
Reading through an article I wrote in 2020, ‘Helper’s High: Are You Getting Your Daily Dose?’, one line jumped out at me: ‘Kindness is the physiological opposite of stress.’ Isn’t that exactly what we need right now?
The research showed that volunteering and helping others creates the opposite effect of stress in our brains, releasing healthy chemicals that boost our well-being. It’s as if nature designed us to heal ourselves by helping others – something we desperately need in times like these.
Instead of staying glued to the news and feeling helpless, I shifted my focus on the people who were stepping up to help others. It inspired me to assess my own skills and resources to decide how I could help. Here’s what I’m doing:
These are the organizations I believe are making an immediate impact on the ground:(
BStrong Initiatives, operated by GEM (Global Empowerment Mission)
A highly efficient disaster relief organization that specializes in rapid response emergency aid. It seems with their experience, they’ve gotten their system down to a science, setting up a distribution center that gets victims what they need most in 24 hours. 100% goes to the effort.
Founded by Chef José Andrés, they provide fresh, nourishing meals in response to disasters. They partner with local restaurants, putting money back into the community while feeding first responders, evacuees, and anyone affected by the crisis. They’re often among the first organizations on the ground after a disaster.
Beyond financial support, I’ve also been feeling called to dust off my Reiki practice. With so many people processing both physical and emotional stress, my energy work might help in some small way. I’m taking time to refresh my skills, hoping to offer my support in the weeks ahead.
Every act of kindness, whether large or small, creates ripples that extend far beyond the immediate moment. By consciously choosing where we direct our attention (energy) and taking meaningful action, we can be part of the solution while maintaining our own emotional and spiritual well-being.
….. until next time many many sweet blessings.
Please forward this to anyone who might need a little extra support right now. Together, we can create more harmony and balance in the world.