The question of how to have peace of mind in a world that has gone mad is one that is not necessarily the easiest one to answer. Nevertheless, I will do my best to share some ideas and things that I have personally done in my life in order to increase peace of mind in my own mind as well as in the mind of my family members. There is certainly not one thing, or set of things, that is appropriate for everyone. Hopefully, simply sharing my thoughts about the topic will stimulate conversation in your house and put you on the road to finding your own set of solutions to this growing problem.
No matter how you look at life it is undeniable that the world is under more stress and chaos. Terrorism, war, crime of all sorts, rising prices, stagnant wages, political strife are all stirring the pot of stress in the world, and these are only a few things I could mention. How do we deal with these mounting pressures of life without living a life paralyzed with fear? Burying our heads in the sand and hoping it all magically goes away somehow is not only unrealistic, but is pretty irresponsible in my opinion. So what can we do?
Here is what I do, and it may be a bit simplistic, but it so far has worked nicely for me. I encourage feedback on all my posts, but especially on this one I want to make a public appeal for your input. Like I said, there is no one set of answers that satisfy every person or every situation so variety of opinion is welcome and will hopefully prove to be constructive for all who read this.
One thing I have had to adjust in my own personal life is to limit my exposure to the news. This was particularly difficult for me as I am a news junkie and my radio days began in the news/talk format, so I think it’s a bit in the blood as they say. I found that constant exposure to news via radio, tv and articles flooded my mind with too much information and too much negativity. So much of what we get in the form of news is opinion and is thrust forth with a certain agenda in mind. I mentioned earlier that burying one’s head in the sand is not good either! Striking balance was key for me. News sources on the radio deliver local and national/international news at the top and bottom of every hour. I decided I am not the President of the United States, so therefore I didn’t need a moment by moment briefing on the state of the world! Now, I still get my news from various sources so I can make a more informed decision as to where truth abides but I only tune in a few times a day rather than receiving a constant drone of never ending stress. I still remain among the more informed of my peers on the topics of the day without putting myself in a place where I am stressed and sick to my stomach. When it comes to my favorite three talk shows, which are about 3 hours long, I decided at most to listen to one hour of one program per day. I enjoy these programs, but in the end I do not enjoy the angst they sometimes create artificially. I also do not need to flood my mind with the opinions of others as I am fully capable of forming my own. This one thing alone has brought me a long way away from the nutty amounts of stress I once lived in. You see, you cannot control what happens in the world, but you can control how it affects you.
Economic crisis looming! This and similar headlines rule the day in just about any news source. Is it true? I would be hard pressed to formulate an intelligent argument against this idea, so I would have little choice but to agree with it. So what do we do about it? We cannot control federal, state or international policies. We cannot control international events that influence currencies and markets. We cannot even control whether or not our local bank remains solvent and our money is safe or not. What I can do is put away a little provision here and there. Over time, if you do this, you will find that you could sustain yourself and even be a blessing to others in a time of crisis. It is amazing what comfort a few large bags of rice and dried beans from these wholesale stores can provide. Does the prospect of eating rice and beans for weeks on end excite me? Yes! Given the potential alternative of starving, it brings me great joy and comfort. I’m not talking about turning yourself into a crazy prepper with a bunker and warehouse of food to last years. Although, if that is your thing and it brings you comfort, who am I to argue. A lesson I learned from years of living in Florida where the annual threat of hurricanes impresses upon you to have enough supply of food, water and medicines to last a week or so only makes sense. Threats to our comfort and way of life are not only economic but there are also natural disasters that could drastically alter the way we live. Government is wonderful in many ways. Government alone, however, should not be the only thing you rely upon in an emergency. What if they can’t bring relief for a week or more? See, it is easy to justify being prepared with at least a few weeks of food and water to care for your family and have a little to share with someone in your neighborhood who needs your help. A little forethought goes a very long way to bringing comfort and peace to your mind.
Safety and security in a world gone mad is a difficult one to address. Every state is different in terms of their laws and restrictions on how a person may protect their home and their family at home and while they are out and about. How you defend yourself will to a large degree depend upon these laws and should be consulted prior to making any decisions. Beyond the usual choices of everything from firearms to baseball bats, there are many other things you can do. If you can afford a security system, that is highly comforting to have not only in terms of peace of mind that you will be alerted of break-ins but monitoring for fire, carbon monoxide are also great peace of mind tools to have access to in this world full of worries. Finally on this topic, if nothing else appeals to you there are many forms of self-defense you can learn. Even if you cannot afford lessons, YouTube is rich with free videos offering up the basics. Whatever you choose is your decision to make. Personally I am all for layering when it comes to safety and defending my family. Doing something is far better than doing nothing and again the payoff in terms of peace of mind is priceless. Also, be aware of statistics. Numbers don’t lie, and depending on where you live the chances of death or serious harm through a crime is very small indeed. That alone should give great comfort. I almost forgot one of the best choices for security if you are able to get this… a dog! Once a dog of any kind acclimates itself to your home, it is no longer your home but theirs! They are amazing early warning sentries that can alert you to potential trouble and normally the barking of a dog will make someone think twice before proceeding. Of course, there are ongoing expenses with a dog but the expense & responsibility they require are far outweighed by the peace of mind and love they provide. If you can, put this one at the top of your list!
Finally, I will share what is for me my number one source of comfort and peace in life. It comes from a deep and committed faith in Yeshua (Jesus). Because of my faith I understand that no matter what measures I take to protect myself, my family and my way of life, ultimately it cannot beat or even touch the promises made to us who put our trust in Him. Let’s face it, if every measure fails and I lose my life, what have I really lost? Eternity in the presence of my Creator beats a hundred years of peace and prosperity in this life, hands down. So, in the grand scheme of things having faith is ultimately the greatest relief from the cares of this life. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still human, and a husband and a dad myself. I still have concerns and take action to fulfill my responsibilities to protect and provide. I just find it comforting trusting a perfect Messiah over trusting only in me. If you have questions about this final point, I would love to hear from you. I would also enjoy the challenge of further pointing you in the right direction with any questions you have. You can direct questions to jeff@jeffgrillo.com.
Any one of these ideas, if implemented will indeed deliver big on answering the question of how to have peace in a world that has gone mad! Of course, the more you can implement, the more peace you can have. Again, I’m also looking forward to additional ideas from you.
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