When disaster strikes, take action to reduce suffering.
If you're going through hell, keep going.
Winston Churchill
Birds sing after a storm;
why shouldn't people feel as free to delight
in whatever remains to them?
Rose F. Kennedy
Hello Friends,
The news and images from Japan are horrifying and overwhelming. It is natural and healthy to feel the shock and terror of such a large scale disaster and to feel sadness and loss in empathy for the people of Japan.
While Japan is certainly not the only recent, serious, natural disaster, the scale, global impact and consequences and the large number of images- along with the increasing threat of nuclear meltdown give it more impact to those of us who are removed from the situation.
It is important to continue to keep the people of Japan in our thoughts and prayers and it would be inappropriate to be happy when thinking about their plight. However, it would also be inappropriate and unproductive to become mired in sadness, overwhelm, survivor's guilt, or morbid thoughts over a disaster that is not happening to you. It is important to not just feel empathy, but to take action to reduce suffering- for both the victims and yourself.
Here are some appropriate and helpful actions you can take:
- Reach out in thought and prayer and, if you are a victim of disaster, know that others are reaching out to you. Studies on transcendental meditation have shown that when large numbers of people meditate together, the crime rate within a radius of the mediators goes down. While the impact of hundreds of millions of people sending prayers and supportive thoughts has not been measured scientifically, I believe it does make a difference.
- Appreciate and Feel Gratitude for What You Do Have.This builds resiliency, hope, and a positive focus. People with an attitude of gratitude are more likely to share what they do have and they are more creative and better at solving problems.
- Send aid There are several international aid organizations that are already on the ground and organized to get survivors the supplies they need. My favorite is Save the Children, but you can find others that match your values and needs. I recommend checking out all aid organizations in Charity Navigator to make sure your money actually gets to the victims you are trying to help and not a scammer. As an added bonus, helping others this way also helps you feel better.
- Be Patient and Tolerant of Others We all respond to tragedy and disaster in our own way and our own time. You never know when the guy who cut you off in traffic is grieving for a lost friend or relative far away or the woman laughing while you are sad has just learned a loved one has survived.
- Learn for the Future Lots of things went well in Japan. An effective early warning system, strong building codes and building code enforcement, and a population that practiced evacuation are all credited with saving millions of lives in Japan. Those lives were saved because forward thinking Japanese learned from earlier disasters and took action.
Listen to your emotions. Pay attention to the news. Then:
When disaster strikes, take action to reduce suffering.
Affirmation
I am open to the news and to my emotions about it. I use my negative emotions to motivate me to take action to reduce suffering in others and in myself.
Journal or Meditation Question
How do I feel when I see disasters and widespread suffering on the news? Do I turn away or get overwhelmed with sad or angry emotions? How could I respond more productively? What actions can I take to reduce the suffering of others in disasters that are far away?
Happiness is Contagious
Forward the Happy Life Tip of the Week to your friends! And remember to vote for Happiness First .
To Subscribe
If someone forwarded this on to you and you would like to get your own copy of the Happy Life Tip of the Week,
Subscribe Here.
|
