A Safe Place
Dear Amarillo College faculty and staff,
I want to say again what an honor it is to have met and connected with so many of you in the past few months. I am so impressed with the people and culture of AC, and it is a gift to be among you.
It is obvious and an understatement to say that these are emotionally challenging times that we continue to find ourselves in. We all are carrying some amount of pain and grief in the present moment, and there is probably some level of anxiety about the future, both personally as well as culturally and globally. Its a marathon that feels like it just keeps going And as we react and deal with life, it is so tempting to simply distract, medicate, and maybe even cope in unhealthy ways with our familiar vices.
It is critical to attend to your own health and wellbeing, both for yourself as well as your first act of love for those around you that you love and care about. My wife and kids need the best version of me right now, as do my friends and coworkers. And this takes time, reflection, and attention.
So, I would offer just a few thoughts in our efforts to continue to grow and heal. Nothing new here, but maybe one or two of these might resonate and deepen for you in your practice going forward.
Be compassionate toward yourself. Often we talk about being less judgmental and more compassionate toward others, and yet it is so easy to be the most critical toward ourselves. It is OK to not be at your best. Be gracious while also being honest with yourself.
Practice self-care. We are integrated beings, and your body and your mental and emotional state are very much connected. Its all the usual things - diet, exercise, drinking water, sleep hygiene, etc. Make sure you are positioning yourself to navigate well by taking care of yourself.
Curate your media. Its important and appropriate to be a conscious citizen and know what is going on in the world by consuming an appropriate level of news and media. But over-consumption can easily fuel our anxiety. Set healthy boundaries for screen time, especially before going to bed.
Practice being vulnerable and communicating with someone you trust. Brene Brown says, Leaders must either invest a reasonable amount of time attending to fears and feelings or squander an unreasonable amount of time trying to manage ineffective and unproductive behavior. There is a healthy power when you notice what is going on with you internally and share it with a significant person in your life, i.e., your spouse or a close relative or friend. Talking about what is going on with us is a key component of developing emotional maturity (your Chaplain is ready and waiting, BTW.)
Practice being present. Mindfulness, meditation, or prayer is a proven pathway to our emotional health. It is also wise to foster a regular practice of gratitude for the gifts of the day, as well as a release of what is beyond your control (which is 99.999% of almost everything in the world).
Engage well and faithfully with both what is yours to do and well as what brings you joy.
I hope that the Spring season also brings with it an emotionally healthy time for you.
Adam Gray
chaplain@actx.edu
(806) 282-5263
www.innerwellservices.com
