The Importance of Remaining Conscious Amid Australia’s Bushfire Crisis.

The current state of Australia has been circulating across all channels of the media. With such loss and devastation of land and lives it is no surprise people are desperate to do anything they can to help and raise awareness to the rest of the world. No one can deny that these fires burning across Australia make us feel emotional and anxious for the future, though it is important to note how easy it is to get caught in a negative down spiral after scrolling through social media or watching the news.

Being informed and doing our part to contribute is incredibly important, though it is also necessary to take a step back and check-in with ourselves and those that are around us regularly to process our feelings and remain present. For those not directly affected by these fires it can be easy to feel like you aren’t doing enough to help or be experiencing anxiety and depression amongst the confronting nature of the realities of this disaster. However, remaining in tune with yourself and taking regular breaks from social media can help you think clearly and enable you to offer better support to others.

Reach Out

There are countless apps and websites that are freely accessible and provide mindfulness techniques, guided meditations and professional advice. Some of these resources include Headspace, Smiling Mindand Calm.

Limit Social Media

While social media can be a great tool in raising awareness, and creating accessibility to give donations it can easily become overwhelming and can contribute to feelings of despair and anxiety. Many phones have built in features that allow you to set time limits for apps or even reminders to take a break.

Reflect

How are you positively contributing to the general state of our planet? Asking ourselves what we are doing in everyday life to respect our environment and positively contribute to a sustainable way of life is a great place to start. The more we connect with ourselves and nature the better we are at making conscious decisions that in-turn have positive effects.

Above all, this is a time where the spirit of our communities across Australia and the world come into light. There is a strong movement for change that requires each of us to play our part and stay focused with the knowledge that even in times of extreme loss there can be hope.