The Burning Room Challenge

Imagine yourself sitting upright on a comfy couch in a tidy room. You're the only one in the room, and you're the only one in the building. You feel calm...at peace. Suddenly, the stillness is interrupted by an incessant beeping: the smoke alarm. 

In front of you is a door, wide open, and when you look through the open door you see the most beautiful autumn day outside.

Behind you, there's another door, cracked open, leading into a different room. Smoke starts to crawl into your room through this opening.
 
On the ground to the right of your feet sits a canister of gasoline. 

Now, pretend you have only three options:

1. Walk out the door that's directly in front of you, don't look back. Take a stroll down the path of autumn leaves and enjoy your day. Reconnect with the peace. 
2. Stay in the room; remain on the couch. Watch the smoke fill the room. Feel the heat slowly intensify. Your skin fills hot, your lungs start to burn. Stay on the couch until flames reach you. At the very last moment, bolt out of the room, coughing profusely. It takes hours to recover, and the stressful situation makes it impossible to enjoy the beautiful day outside. 
3. Get up. Grab the gasoline. Walk to the door behind you. Find the flames. Dump gasoline on the fire. Let it consume you.

If we blame the media, but choose to be an audience to the flames or, worse, add gasoline to the fire, that's on us. 

Find joy in whatever you can, or the fire will consume you. The only person ultimately in charge of your peace is you. 

My challenge to you: avoid social media. Avoid negative thoughts and negative conversations. Walk out the open door.

Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.