In this digital age we are bombarded throughout the day with news – and most of it is bad news. Whether we are immersed in political commentary, natural disasters or more personal upheavals, it is critical to our mental, spiritual and physical health to remain as impartial and calm as we can. We can feel compassion and interest without obsessing about a situation.

When chaos surrounds us, we can choose to remain peaceful while still remaining informed. Mindful, respectful decisions can be made only by a calm, rational mind and spirit. Stress hormones react to external chaos by creating internal chaos, affecting both the body and mind. Therefore. it is important to diffuse these reactions in a healthy way.

In a stressful situation we can take mindful action rather than reacting emotionally. We can ignore and walk away from heated political debate but remain educated on the issues. Rather than react to a natural disaster across the world, we can offer mindful prayer and if we choose, deliberate action to offer assistance. When confronted with a personal crisis, we can use a variety of tools to remain as calm as possible so that rational decisions and solutions can arise.

These tools can be spiritual (meditation, prayer, chant), physical (walking, yoga, gardening, playing with a child or a pet) or mental (doing a crossword puzzle, reading a book, Sudoku puzzles). What healthy method you use to calm yourself is not important, only that it does its job.

It is important to remember the well-known “Serenity Prayer” in times of crisis – become aware of what you can control or take action on, and let go of what you cannot control.

Best yet, become calm and remain calm in your daily life, so that your “serenity muscles” are well toned. And then the world becomes a less stormy place.