"Be kind to yourself"

You know what? It's not easy out here. In a world where negatives stick out like a sore thumb, it's very easy to feel a bit demotivated and defeated at times. The TV is telling us the rich are getting richer whilst the poor are getting poorer. The newspapers are reporting an increase in teenage stabbings in the capital and social media is pushing uncensored content that nobody needs to see in their lifetime!

It looks pretty grim but IN SPITE of all this depressing data floating around, I feel the need to remind you that it is not as bad as you think. There is a lot of good out there as well! Yes, there are some bad apples in power but that is only some, not all. Some teenagers are getting are dying prematurely but it's a small subset of the those that are living normal everyday lives. As for social media, you have the ability to customise your preferences and exhibit some control over what you see and don't see. It may not be all good but it definitely isn't all bad out here. Sometimes you have to be kind to yourself and escape the madness. Go for a stroll; put your phone on silent and grab a book and read instead of swiping and scrolling all day long. We have to learn how not to be overwhelmed by this information age that we find ourselves in otherwise it could be detrimental to our relationships and mental well being. The Bible actually advises where we should out our focus in the book of Philippians 4:8-9, "Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse." Do these things and you will see how your outlook on things begin to change. Go and be that beacon of light that you need to be. As the world gets darker, you shine brighter.