I write this from New Zealand, which is very VERY far from my home. I am not in the same hemisphere, or even the same DAY as my fellow Californians–and that has been profoundly helpful. Seeing new sights, hearing new sounds, smelling new aromas: all have had a salutary effect.

When life as you know it is being razed to the ground, it can be—oddly—really boring (oh, that guy with the chainsaw AGAIN? I am so SICK of him!) And also really alarming (what the hell with the chainsaw guy and his “boss”–they did WHAT?!) It’s hard not to feel like a rogue pinball. The relentless bad news and emotional rollercoaster is exhausting.

Clearly, we need to SOMEHOW nurture a healthy, steady life-affirming response. In the face of wild emotions and intolerable realities, being able to rest and reset one’s nervous system is both our most important—and perhaps our most challenging—human endeavor.

For me, it helps to not be in the “United” States. I’m still reading and swearing at the news, but it’s at a remove–and that is a tremendous buffer.

Changes of scene and shifting perspective can be a lifesaver, and the good news is that these are available at any moment. Sure, you could travel halfway ’round the world, or you could simply make some tweaks to your daily routine.

For example, when I’m home I go for a daily walk. Most days I take a right turn out of my front gate when I head out, but recently I turned left. It refreshed the whole walk—simply going a different direction had different sights, a different feel.

I’d like to suggest one practice, called “All Things New.” Find a friend or family member and set aside time on a weekly basis to do something neither of you has ever done. (It doesn’t have to be fancy—one of the things on my list is trying the artichoke cupcakes that are available locally.) Regularly seeking out something new, with someone you love, can create closeness, pleasure, or a really good story if the new thing is a fiasco. Highly recommend!

It’s true that our brains want the comfort of enjoyable things known, but sometimes shaking it up can be really interesting and pleasant without being too jarring or risky. To be healthy, our brains need both rest and renewal, comfort and novelty. Find a partner and go for it; your nervous system will thank you.

 Infinity Mirrored Room—My Heart is Filled to the Brim with Sparkling Light by Yayoi Kusama, seen at National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Australia. Photograph by me.