The Eye of the Storm: Finding Peace in Life's Chaos

Even when you live a simple life there are times when you feel as if you are standing in the middle of a storm. Adding holidays to the mix can make it even more chaotic. It doesn’t have to be that way. Join me on the porch and find easy ways to help calm that storm.

Transcript

Hi, I’m Julie. For those of you who are new to the podcast, I teach folks how to live a Simple Life. And it’s usually during the holidays when we wish for just that lifestyle. The simpler the better.  As it is we are overwhelmed by adding all the extras to the normal daily routine that holidays usually call for.  

Do you feel as if you are standing in a storm of chaos in your life right now, just thinking about the upcoming holidays?  And actually, the holidays may not have anything to do with the storm you are facing. It may just be your daily norm. If so, then pull up a rocker, get comfortable, and let’s see what we can do to help calm that storm.

It’s difficult some days to see even the first blessing in our lives, much less all of them. We have so many things going on, our bodies start tensing up the moment we open our eyes in the morning. Our entire day is filled with stress – from sitting in traffic jams while trying to get to work to the deadlines staring at us from our desks. Then we’re stuck in traffic again trying to get home to take care of everything we need to do there, in the few remaining hours of the day.  If we are homemakers, we have a house to clean, meals to make, shopping to do, bills to pay, schedules to balance, and so much more. 

When you add the holidays to the mix, everything just seems to spiral out of control. But even within all the fast-spinning swirls of the downward spiral are a multitude of blessings we just can’t see with all the running, driving, cleaning, and frantic preparations. 

And that is when we need to step into the eye of that storm. The literal eye of a hurricane is a rough circle – usually about 18 to 40 miles wide. In this circle are often blue skies and light breezes – think about it as a calm, beautiful, spring day. All around you there may be thunderstorms, high wind, and a lightning show that could give any hard rock band a run for its money. But instead, you can sit calmly in the midst of it all and just relax.

By sitting in the eye, you can look at the storm from a distance. Although it may be frightening to begin with, after a bit, you may be able to see the beauty that lies nestled in between the scary aspects. Even a storm produces some of the most beautiful events in nature. If you look closely enough, threaded through the rain, swirling clouds, ear-splitting thunderclaps and heart-stopping lightning bolts are some amazing colors. There are layers of wind that continually shift the light show to create design and texture. Rain sparkles like diamonds when touched by lightning. And even in its fury, the storm can be something of beauty. 

In a hurricane designed by nature, you know that it’s just a matter of time before all that chaos reaches you and you have no business sitting in the eye of that storm – instead you should have run for safety before it ever began. But what if it’s a hurricane of your own making? One where deadlines, commitments, and struggles are creating that chaos swirling around you? That’s the time when you need to stop fighting the storm and step into the eye. 

The eye of your personal storm can be viewed as your comfort zone. The place where you can just sit and breathe, even when chaos is swirling madly around you. And once you stop to breathe, you can begin to relax and see the storm swirling, but never reaching out to touch it. 

And once that happens, you have an opportunity to search for the beauty that lies between the layers of chaos. 

One of my favorite quotes is by a man named James E. Faust, who said, “The thankful heart opens our eyes to a multitude of blessings that continually surround us.” 

Now consider the eye of your storm as the thankful heart. Take a good look at the storm swirling around you. Open your eyes to all the blessings that are threaded between the layers of traffic jams, deadlines, and longer than normal lists of things to do. 

Instead of seeing traffic jams, see the blessing in having a car to get you to work. Instead of worrying about how to reach the deadlines waiting for you on your desk, be thankful you have a job to go to. Rather than fret over the extra work an upcoming holiday produces, stop and embrace the knowledge that you have a home, family, and reason to celebrate. 

And then, start working on whatever you need to do to lessen the impact of the storm swirling around you. 

Take a closer look at the things that are creating the chaos. Are there things in your daily schedule that can be eliminated? Can you take some of the pressure off of your shoulders and delegate something to someone else? Clearing out the clutter of a hectic schedule and focusing on what are true priorities can help slow the storm. 

You can also start planning ahead. Take a look at your holiday plans. There may be food items you can make ahead and store in the freezer. If you still have handmade gifts to finish, invite a friend over for a crafting day. Not only do you get one chore off of your list of things to do, but you can also make it enjoyable with a fun conversation. If some of the thunder in your storm is caused by financial worries, sit down and work – or rework your budget. 

As much as it hurts us sometimes, we also need to learn the art of saying ‘no’. These two little letters can save us what could turn out to be an immense amount of time. Yes, it’s hard to do it at first, but saying no can be the difference between having more time for our family, home, and passions and stepping directly into the storm of an overburdened schedule. Learn how to say no to the things that don’t align with your purpose, or that you just don’t enjoy doing. Remember, it really is okay to say no when necessary.

Another thing you can do is to redesign your holiday traditions and focus on connection rather than busyness. Instead of spending hours and days in the stores searching for that perfect gift, consider making handmade gifts, and encourage other family members or friends to do the same. This could be the perfect opportunity to teach someone a new skill. And instead of doing it all yourself, include family members with the cooking, baking, gift wrapping and other chores.  

To keep you and your family focused on your blessings, establish a gratitude-focused tradition like a "Blessing Tree." Each day, let family members write down a daily blessing and hang it like an ornament on the tree. You can use your regular Christmas tree, an actual, smaller tree, or even a bulletin or white board with a cutout tree taped or pinned to the center. Cut paper ornaments out of colorful construction paper and stack nearby with a pen to use for writing down the blessings. 

You could also establish the traditions of reading a holiday-themed book to children or having a ‘holiday date night’ with a spouse. Rather than decorate the entire house, learn how to focus on one or two areas, or assign certain spaces to each family member. Then when the work is all done, settle in to set the holiday mood with a movie, popcorn, and Christmas cookie celebration.

One of the most powerful ways to step into the eye of your storm is to create daily moments of stillness—tiny pockets of calm in the chaos. Maybe it’s taking an afternoon tea break on the back porch, a moment of reflection before the kids wake up, or simply walking through your garden and soaking in the quiet.

You can also begin your day with a short devotional and use it to count your blessings. Envision all of the things you are grateful for and keep them in mind for the remainder of the day. When you begin to feel stressed, then take a deep breath and remind yourself of your Blessings list.

These little moments of peace can become your anchor points, helping you shift from a whirlwind of activity to a place of gratitude and awareness. They don’t have to be grand or time-consuming. The key is consistency. Start each day with a moment of quiet, and you’ll begin to see the beauty that’s always been there, even in the middle of the most hectic days.

And that’s what this podcast is all about. Helping you rediscover those moments of stillness and guiding you on how to weave them into your daily life. Whether it’s through faith, home, family, gardening, or simply setting better priorities, there are countless ways to find calm in the midst of the storm. 

So, take a breath, and let’s walk together toward calming the chaos created by the storms, and learning to live a simple, intentional life, no matter how fast the world around you spins. And when you do, you may enjoy not only the holidays more, but also every day of the rest of your life. 

If you want to learn more about living a Simple Life, just visit my website at www.thefarmwife.com/ . If you’re enjoying listening to these podcasts, please consider supporting the show by clicking the SUPPORT button in the show notes. When you do, you’ll be helping me continue bringing you fun and helpful ideas for living the Simple Life you love!

If you have questions or just want to stop in for a visit, you can do that through email at thevirtualporch@gmail.com. And be sure to subscribe – you don’t want to miss a single conversation. I'll be sitting on the porch every Monday morning waiting for your visit!

Thanks again for stopping in. I will see you next week on Living a Simple Life with a Back Porch View. And while you are waiting for the next episode, grab that glass of refreshment, pull up a rocker, and sit back for a while. It’s time to relax and enjoy.