Midweek Message September 25, 2025

My mother always used to say, “This too shall pass,” whenever I was having a bad day or a rough patch growing up. And as cliché as it was, it did provide some comfort. 

I have to admit though that the last few weeks have tried the healing properties of that phrase. Our world has been giving us whiplash with its seemingly endless barrage of nightmare-inducing news. Between navigating the emotional fallout of political violence, the horrors of what is happening in Gaza, fear about the implications of attacks on freedom of speech, and the unrealized anxiety around the rapture(?!)- our nervous systems have every right to be exhausted! I heard someone say, “We were not designed to remain in a heightened state of fight or flight the way we are being cultivated to now.” I can feel the truth in this. Remaining in this state for too long can cause extreme stress on our bodies and minds. As a result, our emotions become dysregulated, which presents as increased irritability, fear, anxiety, desire for isolation, even bursting into tears unexpectedly. 

What do we do when we want to be well-informed citizens, but don’t want to live in this constant state of stress? Here are some tried and true ways to take back our mental health when it comes to the news. 

Limit the time you spend watching or listening to the news. It helps if you take the news notifications off of your phone, maybe even deleting your news apps so that you have to intentionally seek out the news, rather than mindlessly scrolling it.

While you’re at it, limit the time you spend on social media. Social media flourishes because of  “rage-bait”- provocative headlines, short clips, or content whose sole purpose is to evoke a response of anger and rage, thus increasing the “likes” and “shares.” You might be surprised by how effective a social media sabbatical can be in reregulating your nervous system.

Spend time with your friends and neighbors. Go to church, maybe grab lunch, sit on the front porch, or pick up a phone and talk with people you enjoy spending time with in real life. If you have children, get down and play some legos or color. Being with others helps us feel less alone, less hopeless, and gives us a renewed sense of purpose. 

Take time in nature. Go on a hike, swim in a lake, read a book on a blanket in your favorite park, or just take your shoes off and place your feet on the cool grass. This is often called “grounding” and it can be an effective way to remind ourselves that we are a very small part of something much, much bigger. #Perspect

Let rest do the work. Rest is so important for resetting and recalibrating our nervous systems. So go to bed earlier or sleep in a bit, if possible. Take a nap with a window open on one of these beautiful fall days. Or begin a practice of meditation. If you aren’t into silent meditation, start with guided meditations. 

If you have tried these things and still feel like you need some extra support- know you are not alone. You can request a lay minister, make an appointment to sit down with me, seek out a therapist, ask your physician for their advice, or confide in someone you trust to help see you through it. In a world that promotes hyper-independence, let’s remember that we need one another deeply. Always have, always will. And it is always okay to ask for help. 

Yours in the struggle, 

Rev. Charlotte