Depression, despondency, and despair—they can be difficult to avoid for a breathing, thinking, feeling human being on the planet these days.

By raising our consciousness, we rise above partisan disagreements and the need to perpetuate drama. We rise above our little selves watching or reading the news and seeing the endless, outrageous narrative for what it is: lies. By expanding our consciousness, we can lift up own vibration—and maybe, just maybe, inspire others to do the same.

Don’t fall into the trap of believing everything you read. Don’t fall into a mindless addiction to the news—a need to know, now, every gory detail. Don’t get lost in despair. We’ve all been there. It’s not a place you want to be. It’s not a place you’d wish upon anyone else, so why put yourself there?

Although perhaps it is an exaggeration to say “no news is good news,” the fact is that most news is bad news. There is a serious dearth of stories of goodness, virtues, transformation, growth, generosity, and kindness. Why? Because these kinds of uplifting stories are not as dramatic, they don’t sell as well, and they don’t feed into the system’s desire for the audience to remain, indefinitely, very afraid.

It’s The Trump Show. We are all watching—aghast in horror or cheering him on. He is polarizing. He is abysmal or “tremendous.” I have been living as an expat in Guatemala for the past nine years, and I am somewhat sheltered thanks to living a TV-free life. It feels like an assault every time I walk through an airport and am force-fed the looping cable news feed at every gate.

It is all just outrageous—it’s an outrage!

Instead of feeling helpless and desperate about the endless cycle of bad news and about the myriad ways in which human rights are being desecrated, I am choosing to focus on expanding my own consciousness. Following the news in a balanced way (not going to either extreme of shutting it out nor watching too obsessively) and speaking out through my writing.

I am choosing to rise above.

By raising our vibration, we are thereby also raising the vibration of all of humanity, with our grain of sand.

I am sending loving-kindness to myself, my community, all beings, no exceptions. Praying that more and more people wake up to the harm we are doing to ourselves and our Mother Earth through our current, consumerist-corporate-capitalist-driven, fast-paced lifestyle.

It’s scary how much technology has changed us—is changing us. Point being: expand your consciousness. See beyond the little ego identity. Get a glimpse of the ground of being, your Buddha nature, innate goodness, and golden heart.

In closing, here are few ideas on how to raise our vibration as individuals—and thereby, the vibration of all humanity:

1. Breathe deeply. All day long. Consciousness is breath.
2. Pay attention to the present moment.
3. Let go of what needs to be let go.
4. Focus on what needs to be focused on.
5. Keep an open heart. It’s not a problem, it’s an experience. Shift your attitude toward suffering.
6. Drink pure water, herbal tea, and other healthy drinks.
7. Eat local, organic, natural foods lovingly prepared.
8. Buy local; cultivate local community; support small and independent local businesses.
9. Spend more time outside in nature, contemplating trees, mountain, sky, water.
10. Cultivate compassion for self and others. We are all fighting our own battles and trying our best on our own paths. We all want to be happy, safe, healthy, and free. Focus on commonalities, rather than differences.
11. Practice loving-kindness for all beings including oneself. Practice engaged listening, truly hearing the other person and not just waiting for your turn to talk.

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