Overwhelmed by the news? How to self-care in a crazy world
Overwhelmed by the news? How to self-care in a crazy world
When the News is a Dung Flung Monkey Orgy: How to Save Your Sanity and Be Kind
Watching or reading the news, especially anything political, can be like watching monkeys at the zoo in a dung flung rabid sex orgy.
But you’re the zookeeper, trapped in the cage with a barrel of bananas, and the monkeys are trying to hump your leg and cop a reach around.
Things can get ugly fast.
But we live in a democracy (so far). You can’t just ignore the zoological Jackie Treehorn sex party. This is your zoo, after all. You need to be aware and cognizantly-conscious.
What we mean is that mental health is important, especially when the world decays into madness and the animals run the zoo.
Let’s dive into how to self-care in a crazy world.
1. Stop. Drop. And Breathe.
As we all learned in 3rd-grade health class, if you’re on fire, you stop, drop, and roll. But if your mental health is burning down from the news, you stop, drop, and breathe. Unplug from time to time. The world can wait. It may be on fire, but it’s not going anywhere.
That’s why it’s good to take time out for a smoke. Settle down somewhere quiet, with some morning coffee, a steaming cup of tea, or perhaps an evening cocktail, and roll yourself some herbs. The simple practice of spliff production can help settle your soul, calm your mind, and remind yourself to Be Here Now.
Practice meditation. It doesn’t have to be terrifically transcendental with George Harrison and the Maharishi jamming on sitars in the background, Teletubbies in the clouds awing you with calm and peace. You just need to sit quietly and let your thoughts evaporate like smoke in the air. Just meditating for five minutes a day can do wonders for your mind, relieving stress and improving your mental health.
2. Find Time to Do the Things You Love
It’s easy to lose yourself down a news hole and feel the world is burning down. Life can spin you into a loop of deadlines, dread, and capitalist bitter jiggers before you even realize it. Hit pause. Breathe. Remember what lights you up inside. Don’t forget to step back and do the things that you love. Read a novel under a tree. Blast some music while watching Bob Ross mind-melt happy trees out of thin air. Do the weird, wonderful things that make you feel human again.
Here are a few funky, soul-recharging things you can do:
- Take a long walk with no destination and let curiosity steer.
- Cook something totally new, even if it looks questionable halfway through.
- Make a playlist that matches your current mood — or the one you want to be in.
- Sketch, paint, or doodle without worrying if it’s “good.”
- Stargaze and remember you’re made of the same stuff as all that sparkly chaos above.
- Start a tiny garden — herbs, succulents, whatever survives your vibe.
- Call that one friend who always makes you laugh until you snort.
3. Get Your Ass Back to Nature
When the news is boiling your gullet, it’s time to get back to nature. You might just need a walkabout to get high on the towering trees.
A stroll through nature – whether you’re wandering a park path, hiking deep into the woods, or simply following your curiosity where it leads – does wonders for the mind. It doesn’t just ease mental tension; it can ignite purpose and meaning.
So here’s to setting those happy feet free – reconnecting with the dirt, the air, and the hum of life itself. Let the sounds of nature heal you and reconnect your soul. Open your mind to the gifts of Gaia.
4. Laugh, Love, and Roll with Friends
Step away from the noise and reconnect with your people.
Text a friend for a walk, a coffee, or a shared smoke.
At its core, smoking herbs has always been a social ritual – a way to slow down, commune, and celebrate the natural rhythms that link us all.
So laugh loud, love freely, and savor those small, beautiful moments with the ones who remind you what life’s really about.
5. Celebrate Life Through Ritual
Ritual can give everyday things meaning. Practice simple rituals to imbue daily activities with a sense of magic, sustenance, and intonation to reconnect the soul and enhance the ordinary.
That’s why we recommend smoking herbs with intention. Don’t just puff away mindlessly. Make it a ritual.
Begin by preparing your herbs — whether Bear Blend or your own mix of smokable botanicals. Hold them close and breathe in their aroma — earthy, fresh, alive. Clear your mind and let your thoughts drift away like smoke. Focus on your intention: a wish, a feeling, a quiet prayer for yourself or the Universe.
Speak your intention to the herbs. Remember, every plant is a living being, responsive to the same cosmic rhythm that moves us all. Synchronize your energy with theirs — a bond of breath, spirit, and awareness.
As you light up, be mindful. In many traditions, smoke represents the spirit rising — the plants offering their essence in a dance of transformation. Let your breath carry your intentions upward, uniting sky, Earth, and spirit in one shared motion.
When the session feels complete, give thanks. Gratitude grounds the experience — offering balance and closure. Return a pinch of herbs or ashes to the Earth, or simply breathe an expression of thanks.
Carry that calm connection with you.
You’ve not only smoked — you’ve communed. Through this mindful ritual, you’ve reconnected with nature, intention, and the small, sacred pulse that runs through all living things.
Mathew Gallagher
Wordsmith Specialist
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