How to Stay Sane When the World’s Gone Crazy

Charisse Sisou (00:00)

But what if fear IS the delusion?

Not that there aren’t things happening. There ARE. And what I’m talking about is how we experience and perceive the things.

Charisse Sisou (00:15)

Ready to have a deeper conversation about body and soul, sacred leadership and our collective evolution? Welcome to the Wise Body Ancient Soul Podcast with me, your host, Charisse Sisou.

Charisse Sisou (00:36)

How to stay sane when the world’s gone crazy.

apparent world is in a full-fledged state of tilt-a-whirl panic. We are all feeling the pulse of it in our lives and work in big and small ways. I’ve seen leaders across the board, from solo operations to multi-billion dollar companies, devolve into fight-flight or, most commonly, freeze.

People seem to be holding their collective breath while pouncing on the next fear feast, an anxiety-inducing news story,

policy change or even documentary,

and it’s taken all of my energetic discipline to stay centered through all of it.

Anxiety is not the only emotion in the ethers. People are leaving the planet right and left, leaving a wake of grief behind them. Not everyone agreed to be here during this tumultuous time, so many are crossing over to watch and help from the other side. The bottom line is, folks everywhere are going through transitions and massive change, and that is activating a lot of fear and grief as we resist letting go of what was,

in favor of what is and will be. And no judgment about that. This is the program we’re steeped in, have been trained to feed ourselves a steady diet of, fear that is, the dominant paradigm of the last couple of thousand years. It is so ingrained that if you choose not to partake in a nonstop current of fear, people think you’re out of touch, unrealistic or deluded.

Now I’m not talking about helpful runaway from saber-toothed tigers fear, I’m talking about a harmful culture of fear. But what if fear IS the delusion?

Not that there aren’t things happening. There ARE. And what I’m talking about is how we experience and perceive the things.

Speaking of fear,

I felt scared to publish when I’d been quiet for so long Like maybe I burned a bridge or something Our days can be filled with these little pangs of anxiety. And then, as another friend reminded me

the alternative perspective is just as real. “They’d love to hear from you.” It reminds me of long time friends. I never care how long it’s been, I’m just happy to hear from them. We pick up where we left off as if no time has passed.

Interesting though… both perspectives coexist. Either perspective can be my reality. The question becomes, which one do I choose? So I chose to feel a little nervous and act anyway, to acknowledge my feelings and move forward and hit that publish button. And to choose the reality I’d prefer to create, the one in which we’re long-term friends.

reconnecting and you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t want to be.

So here’s what you need to know to stay sane during these amazing crazy times. You’re not imagining things. If things feel faster and wilder and more tumultuous, it’s because they are. Energies are coming in at higher and faster resonances than ever before.

So if you’re feeling a general sense of anxiety with no apparent cause, you could simply be feeling this elevated energy flowing through your body and your body not yet used to it is feeling a tad overwhelmed. My hairstylist described this state well as I sat in her chair a little while ago. “Charisse, I feel like I’m behind and can’t catch up.” She ticked off a list of her various projects: besides work, cutting hair,

she’s preparing for an upcoming art exhibit and getting married in a couple months. It’d be stressful for anybody. The thing was, she said, “But I’m not actually behind on anything. It’s like I’m putting all this pressure on myself for no reason. I feel it right here.” And she pressed a hand to her chest. I told her that the extra flutter she was feeling in her chest may simply be

A result of processing this heightened energy, especially at our heart chakra or energy center, where we connect with our innermost knowing and the unified field that connects us all, our ethereal body. “That makes sense,” she said, with a sigh of relief. It’s okay. We’re being offered the opportunity to upgrade our systems so we can flow with the current instead of digging our heels in and resisting change.

This means operating in ways we haven’t in a very long time. Our bodies were designed for this elevated energy. We’re just relearning how to be in flow with the universe. So what can you do? Get plenty of rest. In fact, you may have noticed that your bedtime seems to be getting earlier and earlier, or maybe you run out of steam earlier in the day than usual. This is the body adjusting.

Give it the rest it’s asking for and it will adapt. Also, stay well hydrated. Water is a tremendous conductor for energy. One of the other signs that you’re processing this influx of energy is a bit more water retention than usual. So if you’re a little puffy or bloated, it’s also okay. Recently, as I struggled to button jeans that fit the day before,

My guides channeled a reassuring message. Relax, they said. This is temporary. They sent a vision of my cells and the spaces in between them plumped with water, in effect, cushioning and lubricating the impact of this energy. So lean into one of nature’s most available healing tonics, water. And sometimes, and this is a quote from my best friend’s ancestral guide, Grandfather.

“When nothing is happening, everything is happening.”

Sometimes the most is happening when nothing appears to be happening. So it’s okay to stop moving, to pause, take a breath. In fact, I cannot overemphasize how important it is to breathe right now, in through the nose, out through the mouth.

Let stuff go.

Not only is it okay, it is mandatory for our survival and success. Stillness, the void, is the other required half of creativity. There is the active, productive state that we love, we enjoy, when we’re making and creating in the dimensions that we can see and hear and taste and touch. And there is its opposite state, when we’re doing the internal work of co-creation, listening to the nudges.

allowing ourselves to rest, clearing the detritus, the clutter that no longer resonates and tuning in long enough so we can truly intuit our next steps. We live in an overculture that prizes the active doing phase over the receptive being phase to the extent that we believe we must constantly be busy.

Busy busy busy to to what? To prove our value? To show that we’re not being lazy? To perhaps avoid the feelings and issues that come to the surface when we do give ourselves a moment to breathe? yeah, I went there. A former client of mine put it in a funny but slightly harsh way. “Busy is the new stupid,” he would say. I might rephrase it this way. Staying constantly busy is another deeply ingrained program.

that sees humans as gears in a machine that’s always working, spending, consuming… For the benefit of whom or what exactly? If there’s anything we’ve learned as the most recent generations, constantly occupied to a frenetic degree that our ancestors never experienced, it’s been none too kind to our bodies, nervous systems, or the natural world of which we are an integral part.

Allow yourself to be still. Get quiet or busy your hands or feet to free your mind.

To follow the whispers and ignore the shouts, we need quiet time. I’ll say it again, time to breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth, to let it go. Get your hands in the dirt, garden, walk amongst the trees. As some of the world’s best and wisest circulators, they are great at helping you move energy and hard feelings through. Ask the trees for their help. Bake, bead, knit.

dance, run, wash the dishes by hand, and allow the warm, sudsy water to transport you. Some of my best insights and solutions come when I’m not focused on and doggedly working them. Allow for the grace of inspiration.

and choose how you spend your time wisely. Consider taking a fast from news or media or scrolling, a break from the constant stream of information. Controversial, I know. People might think you don’t care or that you’re spiritually bypassing, but you’ll know the truth. It’s not about being out of touch. It’s simply choosing not to make an all-you-can-eat buffet of it.

Years ago, I took Dr. Andrew Weil’s advice on this and didn’t watch the news for a solid week. And then two. And then three. I never wanted to go back. I did not at all miss the feelings of horror, anger, and powerlessness. And let me tell you this, that news fast has stretched for decades and has only improved my mental health. Believe me, I hear about the major stuff.

follow the topics that most concern me, including topics often deemed unimportant by mainstream media like indigenous and international issues. So check in when you start to get that message. I need to know what’s happening. I have to watch this, etc. Just pause and ask yourself, do you? Is it your problem to solve? Dowse for the answer. If yes, have at it. You have my deep respect and admiration.

It takes tremendous energy to be on the front lines of some of the issues we are healing. However, if the answer is no, it is not your problem to solve. So, you can lay down your sword. You can far better contribute by putting your peace into the world than your frantic. Let me reiterate this in a slightly different way because it is so important. Your energy creates. Your

ENERGY creates. Your energy CREATES. So pay attention to the state you allow yourself to remain in. If you choose to stay in panic, then unfortunately what you do is create more fear.

Choose to let go of the past, and you create more space to embrace the future. As one of my spiritual inspirations, Dr. Michelle Peal puts it, “Worrying is like praying for the outcome you don’t want,” which is also something Grandfather has been saying for years. That’s deep. And with the energies moving as fast as they are, manifestation is also accelerated.

This is a wonderful and powerful thing. We can receive what we want that much faster. And it is critical that we take responsibility for what we want to create in the world. Whether we’re intentional about it or not, we are always creating. So with things moving so fast, we are past the point of, ⁓ yeah, I’m working on that or I’m trying. It’s time to put on our grownup energetic panties.

make the choice and consider our impact on the world around us. So whatever it is that you choose, choose with care, with discernment.

and trust the guidance you get. For example, the guidance I’ve been receiving for like the last year has been the opposite of what any conventional business coach might have prompted me to do in my work. In a world of goal setting and goal getting, the message I was getting was to stop moving,

to stay connected with the energetics of divine timing, aligned flow, and equal respect for the pause as the action.

So it was imperative that I stop moving instead of push, push, pushing ahead. No sudden moves, slow down. It was a time of gestation, of preparing. It wasn’t about producing. It was about getting quiet, going within. I took the time to step into the sometimes terrifying, sometimes frustrating void.

to ask All That Is truly what is next. Because of course we’re impatient, we want it all to happen now, yesterday, you know? So it’s tough sometimes to just pause and receive, but this is the other side of creating. What is next for the best and highest good of all?

And actually, amidst all this tumult that’s happening right now, is the perfect time to re-examine what you’ve always done and ask, is this how I want to continue? What do I truly long to create? Now is your time, beloved. Your presence here is no accident. Your contribution is so valuable and important, and I am here for it.

These are truly amazing times of transformation and I am grateful that you’re walking the earth with me. May your steps be easy and your heart full.

Charisse Sisou (15:55)

Thanks for joining me on Wise Body Ancient Soul. I hope it reminds you how magical and powerful you truly are. Kindly subscribe, rate

and review this podcast so more juicy light bringers like you can hear these transmissions. And if you’re looking to connect more deeply with your body and soul’s wisdom, visit CharisseSisou .com to learn how else we can play together. Here’s to your joy and wild success. From my heart to yours, I love you. Take what you need and pass it on.