A Nitpicky Fussbudget with a Ben and Jerry’s Addiction

The more chaotic the world gets, the more I become a nitpicky fussbudget with a Ben and Jerry’s addiction.

A dysfunctional political system, economic uncertainty, ocean level rise, flagrant human cruelty - there’s plenty to worry about! When you feel overwhelmed by it all, what do you do?

My first response is to go into what my family calls a “cleaning frenzy.” I clean out a closet, organize something messy, mow the lawn or weed the garden. I recently spent an hour surreptitiously picking pea gravel out of my mother in laws flower bed. If I’m shopping, I straighten the racks of clothes as I look through them. And I find it irritating that other people aren’t similarly motivated. My neighbor’s parking strip needs weeding badly, ahem…

How do my tidying binges feel? They feel great! When I’m finished, I look around and I can see the results. Unlike my time spent ruminating, these efforts bring order to a tiny part of my world which makes me feel slightly less helpless. (You should try it. Ahem.) Unfortunately, the satisfaction doesn’t last very long because the rest of the world is still out there being crazy, messy and disordered.

When I run out of things to organize or clean, sometimes I resort to emotional eating. (Don’t try this.) Eating acts like a sedative in the moment but quickly backfires and makes me feel even worse. Because now I’m out of control too!

So, what’s a person to do? Well, I’ll tell you what works for me every time. Sunrise.

I defy you to look at a sunrise and not feel hopeful. Dawn comes in all shapes and colors, but it always fills me with wonder. It always makes me pause in my mindless busy-ness. I breathe deep. I feel small. and my worries feel small too.

If you aren’t a morning person, fall is the perfect time to give this a try. The days are getting shorter and you don’t have to get up as early to see the sun rise. You don’t have to worry about how you look – there’s no one outside to see you. Just slip on a jacket and shoes and shuffle out your door. Where I live, the only ones outside at dawn are the deer, the occasional raccoon rummaging in my garbage can, and lots of squirrels and birds. How does your dawn smell? What do you hear? Look up!

Below is my picture from yesterday. Given the state of the world right now – I’m going to be watching sunrise a lot. Perhaps I’ll see you there.