I think some people just have a natural tendency to be more sensitive to the evil that exists in the world, It can be hard sometimes not to become convinced that it's hopeless and of course some of us are just more naturally pessimistic. Religious groups like the JWs use that to manipulate you. When all seems bleak it can be tempting to believe that God is going to fix everything and all you have to do is to give up your autonomy and do everything they say. When you find out the Watchtower lied about so much it can be hard, because the comfort of believing there is a plan is suddenly taken away.
Unfortunately there is no easy answer, no quick fix and anyone saying otherwise is lying. But it doesn't mean it's hopeless, it just means you have to find a way to go on without the false sense of security provided by the religion. There is good in the world, and things are not as bad as you would think if all you do is read the news. There are no headlines that say "crime rates go down" or " not as many people went hungry last year".
We all make choices every day about what to focus on and what to do with our lives. You can choose to focus on the evil in the world while doing nothing about it, or you can choose to focus on the positive, while at the same time doing what you reasonably can to make the world a better place for you having been in it, it's entirely up to you.
The JWs tend to focus on the bad, because it validates their belief that everything is hopeless and that we need God to fix everything. Especially if you tend towards such negativity and black and white thinking in the first place , that habit can be hard to overcome. Constantly reading bad news is like a junk food diet for the mind, it's not healthy. But you can choose to focus on more positive things. Maybe you stop watching the news for a while, or at least cut back. Maybe instead you seek out things that have a more positive spin. It's important also to value friendships and family relationships, because those bonds will help you combat negativity.
Instead of thinking about how bad the world is, take some small step every day to make it less so. Do things fit in with your values, or that address concerns you have. I am concerned with the environment, so I try to do things that reflect that. I actually have a business turning reclaimed wood into vintage style signs, turning unwanted junk into something useful. I compost, turning my kitchen scraps and yard waste into garden amendments, reducing the need for fertilizer. I reduce, reuse and recycle whenever possible. I know that my actions are a drop in the bucket, that there has to be a massive shift in the world if we are to stop greenhouse gas from altering the climate, but I do what I can, which is as all any one can do.
I also have a tendency to focus on the negative. I have found that regular physical exercise is really important to keep a positive mood. For those of us with a tendency to internalize, to dwell on problems, physical exercise is a way to turn that focus around, out towards action, other people, towards the positive not the negative. Finally, I also highly recommend meditation, as it has been life changing for me. Meditation has proven health benefits, lowers blood pressure and improves mood.Your sense of doom could be your mind trying to deal with your fears and unresolved emotions. Meditation is a way to deal with those feelings and help you see a way forward.
Lisa 🌹
