“It’s all just gray, bleak and depressing.”

This was one my closest friends, Anna, talking about the weather in my former home of Faenza, Italy–but she could’ve been talking about the state of the world. It’s a heavy moment. My heart often hurts, even when I’m doing something I love with someone I love. Underneath it all is the knowledge that many, many other people are suffering. It’s hard to just go about life as normal day after day with that knowledge, isn’t it?

That’s why I have a Grief Hour every week. I catch up on ALL the news, I look at images that destroy me, and I just cry. I journal. I rage. I write a senator or two, or send another hex to the Patriarchy and these awful human beings that have somehow managed to get their hands on the wheel. A lot of the time, I have to ignore it all for my own mental and emotional health. But I also need to really see it sometimes–for the good of everyone. After all, until none of us suffers, we will all suffer. It hurts, but it’s so important–even more so these days–to cultivate my humanity, my compassion, my sensitivity and my caring. And nothing is better for watering that garden than a really good cry!

And afterwards, I pick myself up, blow my nose and get back to it with my head held high. I balance out the heaviness and sadness with lightness and play. You can often find me whistling a tune as I clean the kitchen, dressing in bright colors on the grayest of days or finding creative ways to see the glass half full. The roof of our new house is leaking because we discovered there’s no waterproof layer between the tiles and the roof? At least we won’t be bored getting it all fixed! I need to get a check up at the doctor, but suddenly the system has kicked me off of her patient list (for reasons no one can explain, welcome to Italy)? At least I’ll get a nice bike ride in. And some fresh air in on my way to stand in line at the health department (and probably a nice, long break from work, too). And so forth. You get the picture 🙂

The point is: Don’t let it ALL be gray, dark and depressing. Don’t give the world–and our terrible “leadership”–that much power. If we all fall into despair, it really might all be lost. But as long as we find ways to smile, ways to be kind and compassionate with each other, ways to play, and ways to BE love in this insane world, all is not lost. Not even close.

Below are a 10 easy, fun ideas on how to bring lightness and playfulness into your daily grind. Have other ideas? Reply to this email, and I’ll include your suggestions in the next newsletter!

1. Literally stop to smell the flowers on your next walk–if you’re lucky enough to live somewhere where there are flowers in winter. If not, buy some flowers at your local farmer’s market and sniff them all the way home!
2. Spend some extra time playing with a child or a pet this week. Lose yourself in the energy of gentle creativity and spontaneous movement.
3. Get together with a friend or two (or more) and tell each other about your most embarrassing memories, your silliest blunders, your most awkward adolescent moments. Laugh until your belly hurts!
4. Wear two different, mismatching socks and see if anybody notices. Extra points if you wear them with a skirt, dress or short pants.
5. Treat the perfect stranger in back of you at the coffee shop (or bar) to their coffee/pastry/beer/etc.
6. Bow or curtsy to the cars lined up at the stoplight as you cross the street in front of them.
7. Write 5 (or more) friends or relatives you haven’t heard from in a while and tell them what about them makes you miss them so much.
8. When you leave the house, bring a little ziplock of treats to give to stray cats that might wander across your path.
9. Give high fives to strangers you pass on the street.
10. Write a bunch of sticky notes with encouraging messages and leave them e dayall over the place throughout th. A few ideas: “You got this!”, or “I love you” or “Tomorrow is a brand new day!” or “That which you seek is seeking you.”