3 Ways to Cope with Big Change

Most of the world is going through changes that were unexpected and unwelcome. The changes have been rapid and confusing and are altering the systems we depend on. The worst part, perhaps, is the uncertainty about what will happen and what we should do next.

Maybe you’ve been stuck at home with bored children, maybe you’re facing difficult financial challenges, or maybe you’ve been working hard to keep society running. No matter what you’ve been facing or how you feel about change, I think it’s helpful to get back to basics to recover your balance. 

This has been called by Ilchi Lee and other authors as returning to the zero point. The “zero point” is a balanced state at the center of your being unaffected by information, emotion, or judgment. 

Going back to the zero point is like hitting a reset button or the tare button on a scale. At the zero point, you can look at what’s going on calmly and clearly. You can easily feel compassion, and you can remember your “why” or purpose. It’s the place where you can feel the cycle of life and the infinite energy that’s always flowing no matter what’s happening and that’s bigger than our individual lives.

If we go back to the zero point, we can see that everything we have or that happens to us can ultimately used for our life purpose. Notions of good versus bad don’t seem relevant anymore. With the weight of the world lifted off of us, we can express who we are and what our hearts want. This will bring more of it into our lives.

The way we express it doesn’t need to be grandiose, nor does anyone even need to see it. But the act of expressing ourselves from the zero point creates an energy and consciousness that makes it easier for others to do it too. 

So even if we don’t know where the world is going now, or even where it should go, we can help whatever it is come from love, compassion, life energy, and purpose.

If you want to reset any of the fear, resistance, confusion or anxiety you may be feeling, try these 3 simple methods:

1. Breathe: We all know mindful breathing from our abdomen can calm us down, bring more oxygen to our body and brain, and help our body repair itself. Try focusing your mind on the sensations in your lower abdomen and imagining each thought or emotion that comes up being burned in a fire there. Do this until you feel empty and still, clear and calm.

2. Say, “Yes!”: One of the first steps to the zero point is accepting all of the baggage we are carrying and the challenges we are facing. Let each one come to mind as you tap around your body with your palms or your fists. Say a firm, “Yes!” to each one, either in your mind or, even better, out loud. If you say it aloud, listen to your voice and feel the vibrations in your throat as you say it. At the same time, feel the vibrations as you tap your body. With time, what you are holding will be released and you will feel more connected to your deepest-most self.

3. Ask what you want: It’s hard to see the world as your co-creation or a field of possibilities on which your life purpose can play out if you don’t know what you really want. And even if you know, are you feeling it strongly in the present moment? Is it real to you or just some old information? Luckily, though it may take some time and concentration, all you have to do is ask. Put your palms over the center of your chest and focus there. Ask your heart over and over, “What do I want?” Keep asking until you get a clear answer that resonates with you. The place that answer comes from is the zero point, and the answer is like a key that can open your mind to the zero point.