When the World Feels Heavy—LOVE.
Love isn’t a feeling. It’s an action, and maybe the most powerful tool we have right now, in a world that feels tense, heavy and divided.
Here’s the deal—heaviness will not go away through more anger, more blame, or more division.
Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
And my mentor Martha Beck once quipped “Love is the greatest defense against the dark arts.”
As an avid Harry Potter fan, that line always lands deeply with me. And it’s been echoing in my heart as I re-read her book The Way of Integrity. (It’s phenomenal—and if you’d be interested in a book club, let me know!)
In it, she invites us to face the “monsters”—the people or forces that stir up our anger—and notice what happens when we project hate versus when we choose to respond differently.
Because hate only breeds more hate. But love? Love disarms. Love disrupts the cycle.
I’ve said this before and it still rings true: fear and hate are contagious. But so is love.
Think back to 2020. In the midst of a global pandemic, neighbors checked on one another. Friends dropped off medicine and toilet paper. Communities rallied to support each other. Love rippled out in a thousand unseen ways bringing communities and people with different beliefs together.
Why did we stop? When did we stop?
It’s time to do that again.
The world doesn’t need more shouting and finger pointing. It needs more understanding. More kindness. More people willing to meet fear and hate with love.
That doesn’t mean ignoring reality. It means choosing where to place our energy. Choosing to be light when everything around us feels dark.
Here are a few ways I’m taking back control when the tension and heaviness feel overwhelming:
Limiting my news intake. A 24-hour cycle rooted in finger pointing and blame isn’t serving me. The digital algorithms aren’t random. They’re designed to show you more of what you already lean toward, showing you one side. I’m choosing to put my phone down and step outside of it. I get the updates I need—then step away.
Taking deep breaths. Even 3 intentional breaths can calm the body’s fight-or-flight response . I take a 4-count inhale and a 4-count exhale while silently repeating an affirmation or mantra to myself. A few I’m loving right now include: “In this moment, I am safe.” “I am meant to live in peace.” “Inhale love, and exhale gratitude.” This helps calm my righteous mind, as Martha refers to it, and grounds me in truth.
Checking my narrative. Fear and hate feed on stories I tell myself. Martha has an excellent exercise inside her book The Way of Integrity. Write down your narrative and ask if it’s true. Then ask yourself if you can absolutely know that it’s true. I’m replacing lies with grounded truth.
Spreading love in small ways. Letting a car merge in traffic. Thanking the cashier. Holding the door for a stranger. Smiling at someone on the street. Sending a quick text to a friend. These things may seem small but their ripples go far. I have one goal right now—be a day maker.
Praying and visualizing. Each morning I pray for clarity for leaders, peace for families, and resolution rooted in love. Sometimes I even picture a blanket of peace stretching across our nation. This is a visualization I’ve done for years, and now it feels more important than ever.
Will these steps change the whole world? Maybe. Maybe not.
But I know they change my world. They lighten my day. They remind me that I can contribute to peace and love—even in small ways.
And right now, lightness feels good.
We don’t need to agree on everything to stand together in this truth: Love isn’t just a feeling. It’s an action.
And it may be the most powerful one we have.
We’re in this together, friend.
