Both/And

Stark Beauty. Photo by Nicole LaCour

I’ve been feeling sad and angry about the direction our country is moving. I’ve also been feeling energized by taking modern dance and rowing classes. What to do about these and other conflicting thoughts and feelings?

Here's an idea. What about taking time to write, think, or draw these emotions? Choose a few and see what happens. Be sure to balance the positive and negative.

• I feel sad about

• I feel hopeful that

• I feel angry when

• I feel delighted when

• I feel concerned about

• I feel grateful for

• I feel discouraged by

• I feel motivated to

Use these prompts or find your own to reflect upon.

What often happens to me when I do this exercise is that I feel less sad. I’m able to see and experience both/and. Then I am able to find more motivation to take appropriate actions. It’s worth a try.