Vazquez Counseling

In my work as a counselor, I meet people who have all sorts of reactions to what is going on around them. Due to recent events in the Middle East, many people are worried about what might happen. Will the conflict escalate? Is there a chance that a bomb or something worse might hit the Homeland? These are valid questions, but the reality is that we just don’t know the answers to those questions right now. We can’t control what’s going to happen in the Middle East anymore than we can control the rising and the setting of the sun tomorrow.

So, what do we do when something scary is completely out of our control? I tell my Clients to focus on what they can control. Sometimes, anxiety can seem like an out of control thing in our lives, but there are so many things we can do to alleviate it. Sometimes, you just have to turn off the noise. There are many talking heads in the media right now, all vying for our attention. Many of them are screaming at the top of their lungs, saying many things that are simply not helpful. Someone once said, if what you’re thinking is not true or helpful or kind, then don’t say it. We have to learn to tune out the hateful rhetoric in the media.

We also need to focus on the good things in life, the noble things, those things that are praiseworthy (see Philippians 4:6-8). I’m not saying to stick your head in the sand and ignore the problems of life. I do listen to and read the news, but I don’t focus on all the negativity.

The next time you feel anxious about what is going on, take a minute to relax, think about the blessings in your life, your loved ones, the things you enjoy, the little things that make life worth living. Then, pray. Ask God to give you His peace, which surpasses all understanding. You will find that by doing this, your anxiety will decrease, as I have.