In situations of chaos, one must remain calm. In situations where fear causes uncertainty and panic, one must remain calm. Only through a focused and relaxed mental approach can we harness our psychological strengths. It is time to awaken them and put them to good use.
Written and verified by the psychologist GetPersonalGrowth.
Last update: 15 November 2021
Living in chaos is not easy. Just as it is not easy to keep the balance when the storm arrives and the wind blows through our hair, whispering messages of fear that have the taste of uncertainty in our ears.
When we panic, we tend to react quickly, both emotionally and cognitively. However, in these cases, the ideal is to stay calm.
Psychologists and sociologists agree that the word of the year for 2020 will surely be "fear". Current events already show us the various facets of this term, ranging from the most irrational behaviors to the most controlled reactions. In the latter case, we refer to those who feel fear, but manage to maintain their proactivity to try to solve problems.
Psychiatrist Karl Augustus Menninger argues that fears can be controlled, and this is when we take the most important and decisive steps. Easy to say, but controlling one's fears is perhaps the most complex and traumatic act that the human being has to perform. When chaos knocks on the door and threatens our calm, our mind loses control. In addition to this, what is even more dangerous is that chaos also infects others to the point of making fear an enemy of enormous dimensions.
In these contexts, however, calm must prevail. Staying calm is a faculty that can be trained because, after all, fear, anxiety and irrational behaviors are viruses that we can learn to contain.
In situations of chaos we need to have a calm mindset
We have reached the point where we are inundated with "bad news". Television, radio and social networks continually provide us with disturbing data and the negative messages far outweigh the positive ones.
In addition, negative news is usually shared first than those that speak of hope. This is done without being cautious and without verifying whether the news is true or not.
It is true that we have the right to know, that information is power and that we must know the reality we are experiencing. However, there are times when circumstances and certain facts are so overwhelming that we immediately feel a feeling of helplessness. Not knowing what might happen tomorrow is undoubtedly what scares us the most.
We are used to having control over the reality around us, or at least we think it is. Suddenly we find ourselves in situations of chaos and all our securities of yesterday become uncertainties. This hurts us and creates a discomfort that is difficult to bear. What can we do in these cases?
Being calm is an attitude we take when we accept that we are not in control of everything
In a context of uncertainty, anxiety increases. To this is added another factor: the people around us transmit their emotions and fears to us. Nothing generates more anguish than uncertainty itself.
For example, it is worse not to know if we are going to lose your job than to be sure that we have lost it. The brain works this way. We must therefore learn to tolerate uncertainty.
We must acknowledge the fact that even if we do not have control over certain things, we can choose how to react to circumstances. This is the key to dealing with situations that arise in life.
Acting calmly is the best attitude. This is the mental approach through which we can react in a reasonable and adequate way to situations giving the best of us.
In situations of chaos, one must clear the mind and remove the catastrophic thoughts
In situations of chaos, catastrophic thoughts do not help, rather they make everything worse. In difficulties and within a scenario full of doubts and problems, the mind must be our ally and not an adversary that hinders us at every step.
It is therefore of fundamental importance to be able to "cleanse" our mind of the thoughts that hinder us and that feed our fears. We need to find solutions and not add other problems.
Beyond that, we need to be aware of our negative inner dialogue and eliminate it. Calm must be that beacon capable of guiding us in the middle of the dark.
In situations of chaos, who do we choose to be?
In difficult times like the ones we are experiencing, answering the question of who we want to be can help us get out of the chaos. Do we want to be the hero or the victim? Who helped or who made the situation worse? Being someone to be proud of or someone who has chosen stillness and panic? It is up to us to decide who we want to be on days when we are forced to give the best of ourselves.
In moments of crisis, calm is that companion capable of making us follow the right path. By walking with it hand in hand we will be able to see things more clearly and we will be able to react better to situations, as well as being proactive and more responsible.
In this time of change and uncertainty, it's time to stay calm. We must all act together with serenity, intelligence and aplomb.
