Now the world is gripped by a storm of emotions: anxiety is heard everywhere, aggression is visible, shame is felt. It’s difficult to pass by and not get involved in what’s happening. But the constant anxiety is exhausting. Anger ruins relationships with others. Shame makes you hide. In a word: strong emotions control us, not we control them. Every person is now involved in what is happening in one way or another. Because of this merging with the situation, you get the feeling that you are at the epicenter of events: you know who is looking at you and how, what they are thinking, saying, who is deceiving and who is telling the truth. In this regard, strong emotions arise, behind which there is a need to do something: run away or rush into a fight. But how can you still maintain your sanity, looking at what is happening in the world? A view from the balcony will help you. When you feel a wave of strong emotions covering you, stop, mentally rise to the balcony, and look at what is happening. Now you are a spectator, not a direct participant. What do you see? Consider yourself, your surroundings, and other people around you. What is happening? Describe what each person in the situation is doing. Hear what he says. What do you think and feel when you are a direct participant in what is happening? What do you think and feel when you look at everything that is happening from the balcony? The goal of this exercise is to shift the focus of attention, to see more than yourself and your position. Step back and observing does not mean leaving the situation, pretending that you don’t care. It simply means changing your perspective and looking at things more objectively. Do not merge with them, which causes a storm of emotions, but observe from the outside. Thus, you may find yourself drawn into a manipulative game. Someone takes the position of a victim, and you automatically play the proposed role of a rescuer. And, if you give in to a wave of emotions, you will not realize how you are being manipulated. Do you really want to be a participant in someone else’s performance? Or you will see that down there there are unhappy people who are all just scared. So why should they fight each other? Now more than ever, it is important to keep a cool mind and not be led by strong feelings. This will help you maintain relationships with loved ones and overcome a period of crisis. And what can you see from the balcony??