How to reduce worry about the rising cost of living

I wish I didn’t have to write this because it saddens me to think about how many people are affected by the current rising cost of living. What makes me angry is that despite the so-called advancements that we’ve made there is still so much inequality in the world. We shouldn’t have to be thinking about how we are going to pay for energy bills, people shouldn’t be staying awake at night worried about how they are going to feed their children, not in 2022 when we can fly to the blooming moon!

Last week at a meeting I heard the headteacher reassuring staff that they didn’t need to worry because there was enough money in the budget to cover the rising costs and that the school will be able to stay open this year. Up until then, it hadn’t even crossed my mind how this so-called energy crisis would impact schools, hospitals, and all those small businesses that have only barely survived COVID. I stupidly assumed that they would be protected somehow.

Now call me a conspiracy theorist if you must but I am slightly suspicious about all this because I don’t totally believe the stories we are told. One minute it’s a pandemic, then a war somewhere in the world that most of us have never heard of before, and who knows what will be next. And all these events create more and more fear. And yet a very important point that both the media and politicians fail to address is this:

half of the world's net wealth belongs to the top 1%,while the bottom 90% hold the remaining 15% of the world's total wealth.

Those statistics say it all really, a disproportionate sharing of wealth in the world is the real problem, and what that comes to is pure greed.

In the words of the late John Lesson

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man

Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

I guess we can dream and live in hope that one-day things will be different but for now, what can we do to reduce the worry and stress about the rising cost of living?

Well, we could get involved in one of the growing movements that are trying to push for change, and that might help to persuade the powers that be take some action. However that might not be an option for everyone but there is something we must all do right now and that is to make sure we protect ourselves, both physically and mentally because it’s likely that the next few months if not years are going to be tough.

So here are a few suggestions that might help you better cope with worry and stress related to the current climate:

1. Stop comparing your situation with others. In other words, don’t feel you have to continue buying things that you can’t afford just to keep up with others. Look at your personal situation and live accordingly. And if you are fortunate enough to have spare food, clothing, or money, then maybe this is your chance to help others. Just a thought.

2. Reframe what you value most: This could be a perfect opportunity to start thinking about what is really important in your life. Is it absolutely necessary to continue living as you did before? For example, spending time with family and friends doesn’t have to cost much if anything at all, being with loved ones only requires time and attention, doesn’t it?

3. Give yourself a budget and stick to it: A couple of last years ago, I made a decision to start living as simply as possible because I didn’t want to continue doing things I didn’t want to just for money. I’ll be honest it wasn’t easy to transition from a high-paying career to minimalistic living but the freedom this has given me is priceless. I’ll be writing more about this soon, promise!

4. Take care of your mental health: I don’t like using the term “mental health” too often because it feels like it’s in our face all the time so excuse me if you’ve heard this before. However looking after our health is crucial, especially during these challenging times. Remember to take care of yourself as best as you can because what is the point of it all if we neglect ourselves? Take time to relax, sleep and do nothing for a while. Start to appreciate the simple things in life, like the trees in the park, a hug from a loved one, a smile from a stranger, or even better, why not be the one that puts a smile on someone else’s face?

5. Turn off the news and limit social media: I say this over and over. Honestly, overindulgence in negativity will only make things worse for you. Does it really matter if you don’t know what is happening in the world every second of the day? And do you really think that bombarding your mind with endless bad news will change the world? It won’t, all it will do is give you a one-sided perspective that the world is a bad place when it really isn’t!

6. Learn how to self-regulate when things become overwhelming: There are some simple techniques that you can use to help when you feel you are becoming anxious or your thoughts are increasingly busy. One is to download the short self-compassion break audio I recorded and use it to help you self-regulate throughout your day. Link at the end of this post.

7. Don’t be a superhero, get help if you need it: There are a variety of options available to people that are really struggling, reach out to those around you, see your doctor, talk to your bank, and your energy supplier and get the support you are entitled to. Yes, you heard me, you have rights, use them.

Let me leave you with the words of Viktor Frankl:

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.”

“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”

Don’t let your view of the world be distorted by all the negative noise. Life is a precious gift, it might not be easy and it’s definitely not without its hardships, nonetheless, it is still amazing.

Download a guided self-compassion break meditation