Many people who are struggling with stress, anxiety or depression relate to the world as if it is hostile, or likely to become hostile at any moment. This increases their stress, anxiety or depression which can make the world feel even more hostile. Accurate or not, this is definitely not helpful.

If we think about it the universe is actually friendly. While there may well be aspects of it that are hostile, generally those created by other humans, the natural forces around us support life very effectively. It can be helpful to call our attention to those processes. For example, the sun provides light and warmth. The earth supports our bodies. Plants give us oxygen. The atmosphere shields us from the dangerous rays of the sun. The earth’s magnetic field shields us from particles coming from the sun. The rain gives us water, and on and on. We take these for granted, but we don’t have to. We can appreciate them as expressions of friendliness from the universe.

Even though this idea may seem trite it has been surprisingly effective for several people. This sense of friendliness does not have to be strong. It may be barely more positive than neutral. But it is pervasive. It comes at us from all sides and all the time. When we get in the habit of feeling the universe as friendly, then we can experience a significant, helpful shift in our stress and emotions.