Feeling overwhelmed in the swirl of our world? Carla Foote, Really Blog Manager, shares her discovery of soothing rhythms.
Elisa
Rhythms to Soothe My Soul
By Carla Foote
The start of 2025 has felt overwhelming to me in a variety of ways. The news of the world, my country, and even my neighborhood has been hard, not just in ways that provoke sadness and empathy, but also in direct impacts to my own family and their well-being.
I’ve found myself distracted and off-balance in the midst of my daily life. Normally I am fairly good at blocking out distractions for several focused hours of work in the morning, but I’ve found myself flitting around between tasks and checking too many news updates. And then after dinner, looking again at news updates.
In the midst of this overwhelm, I have chosen to be extra-intentional about some of the rhythms that have long helped me be centered in the past—rhythms of prayer, God’s Word, and walking. And still I have felt sadness and distress.
By the way, I like the term “rhythms” rather than disciplines or habits – that feels less of a legalistic “should” which can be guilt inducing for me. Other good terms are practices or invitations, borrowing from Adele Calhoun’s book Invitations from God.
Adding New Rhythms
A few years ago when I had a scary health challenge and was in the hospital for a week, I added some new rhythms. I would start each day with worship music, and I would end each day with picturing Jesus at the end of my bed and hand him my worries. I couldn’t carry my worries, but I knew that he could.
I’ve continued the morning worship music rhythm. I find that when I sing a worship song first thing in the morning, it stays in my head, and I’ll start humming or singing it again during the day. Until recently, I hadn’t been handing Jesus my worries at the end of the day. My current sense of overwhelm seems like a good time to restart that rhythm I learned in the hospital.
As I recovered my health, I also added a focus on nutrient-rich food, and no snacks after dinner to my physical rhythm. Last month I decided that I needed to add another rhythm to my life—to not access any news sources after dinner.
The term “doomscrolling” is apt because scrolling through so much news was dooming my peace of mind. It’s hard to resist peeking at the headlines. I am inclined to read broadly and want to know and make sense of what is going on in the world, my country, and my city. After all, my graduate degree was in International Studies, and for decades I have had friends around the world, and been involved with people who are global citizens. I care deeply about what is going on, but the sense of overwhelm comes, perhaps, from both the volume of events and my lack of control.
I still read a few reliable news sources during the day, although I try to keep my news updates separate from my focused work time. But I don’t access any news after dinner. This new rhythm gives my mind and heart a chance to settle for a time before bed. This parallels my nutrition rhythm of not snacking after dinner, so my food can start digesting and I can sleep better.
I also took a full week off the news in late February while we were on a break at a quiet place.
These rhythms, old and new, address my mind, body, and soul, which are all intertwined into my overall well-being. Right now, this combination of rhythms serves me well and feels like-giving, not legalistic. And along with them, I’ll try to stay attentive to new promptings from the Holy Spirit on new rhythms that might be helpful in my journey of faith.
Are you feeling overwhelmed?
Is the Holy Spirit nudging you to focus on a rhythm that is life-giving?
Is there a new rhythm that might help your soul?
God, thank you for the life-giving rhythms that you invite me to practice, may they sustain me throughout my days.
Carla Foote is the Really blog manager. She also writes and edits for other clients through Fine Print Editorial. When she isn't at her computer working, she enjoys walking and gardening. She serves on the board of Magazine Training International, equipping Christian communicators around the world to share the Good News in their own context.