I wish the world was as simple as the "Sally Sells Seashells" nursery rhyme. Life is a more like a field of cacti. You know what? I may wish for simplicity but I love the variety that lends itself to complication. I like to find my own seashells anyway.

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Right now there is plenty of uncertainty. I believe differences are reconcilable. Not always to everyone's satisfaction. Not everyone can be happy with every outcome. That's part of not being mindless. We get to be *mindful*. 

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Some great practices for staying mindful in an uncertain world include gratitude practice (I wrote about this yesterday), choosing curiosity in place of anger and fear, and trying on different perspectives. Think your friend is overreacting? Slip into their skin for a minute and take some time to feel out the intricacies of their situation. 

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This is an empathy practice. Empathy can be a tool for personal growth and social change. I don't necessarily want to see more people agreeing. I think forward progress is based on difference of opinion. I'd like to see more people feeling safe and being human to each other. We are all deserving of love and compassion. Even the people we dislike.

### I would love to know what ways you stay mindful in times of distress. 

*images via pixabay.com*