Just reading the comments from fellow readers is a good start for me. I love 'celebrate every win' especially. Continuing to spread kindness where I can and shutting up when I need to. We all get a voice; it's up to me how/when I internalize what I read/hear. Showing up for my neighbors and friends and family. Deciding today I'd rather be hopeful than scared.
Community. Community times infinity. I'm checking in with people and we're all making concrete plans to support each other through all this. For example, I have offered up my snowblower to my community so we all don't need to buy one. I've reached out to see who has chickens to see if I can barter home-baked bread for eggs. I'm getting even more involved with my local Dems, and developing those community connections as well.
I was feeling really down yesterday, but I dragged myself to my first Moms Demand Action meeting. For one, I'm a new mom, so being in the room with other local moms felt really good. But mostly it made me feel hopeful. On social media, it's all doom and gloom, but when you're in the room with others who have hope and are incredibly driven to make change, it's such a different experience. Community involvement is going to be really important for me.
Fight darkness with light, so strong that you can't even see the darkness.
Keep your mind full of light and go about your day.
Don't watch news that could potentially trigger the dark thoughts. Keep it full of light.
Do what resonates with you, not your friend or neighbour. We are all wired differently. So you need to know what vibration of activity would kick you into light. Fight the tendency for drama. That is a lower version of you. The light version of you will ignore drama and go about your day.
Proactive work (fighting for justice work) can trigger negativity and so you have to watch when you want to go that route. Keep it at a minimum, carve out time for it, don't be on it 24/7.
Deliberately make time for light. Be the light that your friends might need.
Wow Silva! This is so beautiful and powerful! It really spoke to me. I’m so affected by other people’s drama. I also need to be more aware that what I say and what I share affect others as well. This is a time to not pay attention to every single piece of nonsense, and rather focus on what I can control: More kindness, more gratitude, more local actions supporting those who are in greatest need. That is where I will find my light. Thank you for your words!
So glad it was helpful. I hear you on the drama. I see it all the time myself and that route is easy. And it's dark and leads to darkness. So that is not going to help. Instead acknowledge it and move to something that uplifts you. Say " I see you, drama. And I choose to sing a song. I choose to help someone less fortunate than me. I choose to be grateful for all that is going well for me. I choose to think of someone or read a book that is all about the light." So many alternatives than darkness. You just have to pick one.
“Connect with other communities” speaks to me. I’m going to step out of my comfort zone to meet and hopefully partner with people/groups who are doing good community work, helping those who can use assistance.
"Celebrate Every Win" spoke to me and it's something I emphasize with our volunteers. My advice is that every little bit helps: donating blood one week, volunteering at a local nonprofit the next and dropping off canned food, books or clothes for charity drives the next not only makes a tangible difference but you'll feel better having done something to help. I've been spending this month running around getting petition signatures for the Spanberger campaign!
Our local Democrats are working with migrant families at a church near me (where my parents got married!) I reached out to the woman leading it and asked how I could help.
I am being very (VERY) deliberate about what information I consume, and when.
I am loving on my people, and sharing gratitude and the stories about people who are a light right now.
And I am beyond grateful for a husband who looked at me as I was losing it yesterday and just said “What can I do to help?” as he gave me a hug.
I can tell I’m pretty overwhelmed right now so I’m trying to count seemingly small ideas and actions as good…as long as I keep moving in a helpful direction no matter how little it may feel to me is going to have to be okay.
When I tried to think about what I’m good at my brain kept insisting it isn’t enough, but here’s where I am right now:
I’m donating to a climate focused organization and the ACLU.
I am looking for volunteer opportunities connected to human rights.
I’m really good at being curious about people who don’t share my concerns. I’m good at seeing the good in neighbors who likely voted differently than me and being kind. In the fall I moved from a blue county to a red county, so I’m thinking that it’s possible I’m planting seeds for connection with people who voted for DT and maybe, over time, there will be a chance to talk about things that really weigh on me and help others to truly think about different perspectives.
None of this feels like enough, but I think it and whatever else I do in time, will add up. It helps to know other people are trying too.
Ooh, yes, I also have a resolution (which will be hard for me) to fully listen to other human beings and have nonaggressive conversations with them about hard topics.
I'm someone who can't just select one! So...I joined my local Democratic Club and love that they email me what needs to be done and how. I announced I'm going to lead a book club to build community and we are starting with Democracy In Retrograde (Fired Up will be this summer!). I'm also someone who has a lot of issues that are important to me, but I feel that my strength lies in helping others learn how to get involved in what is important to them while also keeping people informed of what's going on and figuring out how to take action. I'm going to lean into sharing how people can get involved so that I can hopefully have an impact on more than one issue while also amplifying more voices, especially those who know much more than I do. I'm finding rest and solace in reading books for fun and connecting with others.
I’m on an LGBTQ Action Committee at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in my FL town. I’m very concerned about the many people I know and love who will be targeted for who they are. I happened to listen to a podcast today, American Fever Dream, the topic of which was 9 Legal Must Haves for LGBTQ couples. Since some of my friends don’t listen to or can’t access podcasts, I transcribed it & will present at our next meeting. I was also just selected to be on the Racial Justice Committee at the UU Fellowship. I made plans to attend a school board meeting on Monday (Mom’s For Liberty was born here, & they must be stopped!)
Thank you, Shannon, for this Substack. You are an inspiration!
Your reminder to connect with my local Dem group is great! I started a small notebook this week, to list one small action item I complete each day, to remind myself to do something, like signing up for an info session on actions to protect Medicaid (again), writing to my Senators, supporting artists and writers and journalists, reaching out to friends & neighbors. Everytime I start to get overwhelmed by the next terrible announcement, I find something small I can do
In the building community theme, I'm organizing a "know your neighbors" open house. My spouse and I know several of our neighbors in a passing way--out walking dogs, seeing each other at the grocery store, etc. But I know that several are like-minded from our incidental conversations and yard signs:) and think it will be fun and beneficial to host a gathering. Many of us are new empty nesters with a little more time on our hands, maybe, to devote to local causes.
I'm already aligned with most of your suggestions, but "Learn to love playing defense" resonated strongly for me. It combines nicely with "Determine your strengths." I hope some politicians find their spines and stand up against un-American plans, and I hope to find a way I can work on amplifying my own and others' strategic voices.
I think that believing that Trump is the problem or that we only have to endure 4 years of this administration is unrealistic. It is a view that causes attachment to “winning” in 2028 rather than facing full on the societal and capital shifts that are occurring. So I am helped by taking a much broader view about how I live, spend and interact every day. The fight isn’t with our government.
The midterms are my target and the target establishes a work regimen. A known work regimen. The midterms are here in less than 22 months. We have to cut through the mass psychosis befalling this country. (See Mass Psychosis link.) https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/mentally-impaired-psychopathic-neo?r=3m1bs
Just reading the comments from fellow readers is a good start for me. I love 'celebrate every win' especially. Continuing to spread kindness where I can and shutting up when I need to. We all get a voice; it's up to me how/when I internalize what I read/hear. Showing up for my neighbors and friends and family. Deciding today I'd rather be hopeful than scared.
I love that hearing from those in community here was helpful to you. And I love that simple decision to be hopeful rather than scared.
Community. Community times infinity. I'm checking in with people and we're all making concrete plans to support each other through all this. For example, I have offered up my snowblower to my community so we all don't need to buy one. I've reached out to see who has chickens to see if I can barter home-baked bread for eggs. I'm getting even more involved with my local Dems, and developing those community connections as well.
This is so great!
I was feeling really down yesterday, but I dragged myself to my first Moms Demand Action meeting. For one, I'm a new mom, so being in the room with other local moms felt really good. But mostly it made me feel hopeful. On social media, it's all doom and gloom, but when you're in the room with others who have hope and are incredibly driven to make change, it's such a different experience. Community involvement is going to be really important for me.
YES! I love this, Shannon!!!
So true! We can actually feel good in community!
You cannot fight darkness with darkness.
Thoughts are everything.
Fight darkness with light, so strong that you can't even see the darkness.
Keep your mind full of light and go about your day.
Don't watch news that could potentially trigger the dark thoughts. Keep it full of light.
Do what resonates with you, not your friend or neighbour. We are all wired differently. So you need to know what vibration of activity would kick you into light. Fight the tendency for drama. That is a lower version of you. The light version of you will ignore drama and go about your day.
Proactive work (fighting for justice work) can trigger negativity and so you have to watch when you want to go that route. Keep it at a minimum, carve out time for it, don't be on it 24/7.
Deliberately make time for light. Be the light that your friends might need.
Wow. This is incredible. Thank you!
So glad it was helpful.
Wow Silva! This is so beautiful and powerful! It really spoke to me. I’m so affected by other people’s drama. I also need to be more aware that what I say and what I share affect others as well. This is a time to not pay attention to every single piece of nonsense, and rather focus on what I can control: More kindness, more gratitude, more local actions supporting those who are in greatest need. That is where I will find my light. Thank you for your words!
So glad it was helpful. I hear you on the drama. I see it all the time myself and that route is easy. And it's dark and leads to darkness. So that is not going to help. Instead acknowledge it and move to something that uplifts you. Say " I see you, drama. And I choose to sing a song. I choose to help someone less fortunate than me. I choose to be grateful for all that is going well for me. I choose to think of someone or read a book that is all about the light." So many alternatives than darkness. You just have to pick one.
“Connect with other communities” speaks to me. I’m going to step out of my comfort zone to meet and hopefully partner with people/groups who are doing good community work, helping those who can use assistance.
Great!!
That is a surefire way to go into light! Clapping you up.
"Celebrate Every Win" spoke to me and it's something I emphasize with our volunteers. My advice is that every little bit helps: donating blood one week, volunteering at a local nonprofit the next and dropping off canned food, books or clothes for charity drives the next not only makes a tangible difference but you'll feel better having done something to help. I've been spending this month running around getting petition signatures for the Spanberger campaign!
Love this, Mike!
Our local Democrats are working with migrant families at a church near me (where my parents got married!) I reached out to the woman leading it and asked how I could help.
I am being very (VERY) deliberate about what information I consume, and when.
I am loving on my people, and sharing gratitude and the stories about people who are a light right now.
And I am beyond grateful for a husband who looked at me as I was losing it yesterday and just said “What can I do to help?” as he gave me a hug.
Sometimes those hugs are EXACTLY what we need.
I can tell I’m pretty overwhelmed right now so I’m trying to count seemingly small ideas and actions as good…as long as I keep moving in a helpful direction no matter how little it may feel to me is going to have to be okay.
When I tried to think about what I’m good at my brain kept insisting it isn’t enough, but here’s where I am right now:
I’m donating to a climate focused organization and the ACLU.
I am looking for volunteer opportunities connected to human rights.
I’m really good at being curious about people who don’t share my concerns. I’m good at seeing the good in neighbors who likely voted differently than me and being kind. In the fall I moved from a blue county to a red county, so I’m thinking that it’s possible I’m planting seeds for connection with people who voted for DT and maybe, over time, there will be a chance to talk about things that really weigh on me and help others to truly think about different perspectives.
None of this feels like enough, but I think it and whatever else I do in time, will add up. It helps to know other people are trying too.
Every little thing is enough, and it all adds up to something big. Love this.
Ooh, yes, I also have a resolution (which will be hard for me) to fully listen to other human beings and have nonaggressive conversations with them about hard topics.
I'm taking my cues from Mother Teresa's Anyway Poem:
People are often unreasonable, illogical and self centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you've got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.
Thank you for this.
Absolutely. It was always between your lower self and higher self! So good. Be the higher version of you.
I'm someone who can't just select one! So...I joined my local Democratic Club and love that they email me what needs to be done and how. I announced I'm going to lead a book club to build community and we are starting with Democracy In Retrograde (Fired Up will be this summer!). I'm also someone who has a lot of issues that are important to me, but I feel that my strength lies in helping others learn how to get involved in what is important to them while also keeping people informed of what's going on and figuring out how to take action. I'm going to lean into sharing how people can get involved so that I can hopefully have an impact on more than one issue while also amplifying more voices, especially those who know much more than I do. I'm finding rest and solace in reading books for fun and connecting with others.
I love all of this Michelle! And I'm honored that you'll have my book in your book club!
Shannon, the honor is truly mine! Thank you for all you do and have done for all of us!
I love this! Way to be proactive.
Love this!!
I’m on an LGBTQ Action Committee at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in my FL town. I’m very concerned about the many people I know and love who will be targeted for who they are. I happened to listen to a podcast today, American Fever Dream, the topic of which was 9 Legal Must Haves for LGBTQ couples. Since some of my friends don’t listen to or can’t access podcasts, I transcribed it & will present at our next meeting. I was also just selected to be on the Racial Justice Committee at the UU Fellowship. I made plans to attend a school board meeting on Monday (Mom’s For Liberty was born here, & they must be stopped!)
Thank you, Shannon, for this Substack. You are an inspiration!
This is all so great, Lisa.
Your reminder to connect with my local Dem group is great! I started a small notebook this week, to list one small action item I complete each day, to remind myself to do something, like signing up for an info session on actions to protect Medicaid (again), writing to my Senators, supporting artists and writers and journalists, reaching out to friends & neighbors. Everytime I start to get overwhelmed by the next terrible announcement, I find something small I can do
I love the notebook idea! and at the end of the year you'll have an incredible record to look back on.
I love this idea! Thanks for the inspiration.
Something small you can do. It may not be small. The journey begins with 1 step. Kudos.
In the building community theme, I'm organizing a "know your neighbors" open house. My spouse and I know several of our neighbors in a passing way--out walking dogs, seeing each other at the grocery store, etc. But I know that several are like-minded from our incidental conversations and yard signs:) and think it will be fun and beneficial to host a gathering. Many of us are new empty nesters with a little more time on our hands, maybe, to devote to local causes.
This is great!
I'm already aligned with most of your suggestions, but "Learn to love playing defense" resonated strongly for me. It combines nicely with "Determine your strengths." I hope some politicians find their spines and stand up against un-American plans, and I hope to find a way I can work on amplifying my own and others' strategic voices.
I'm so glad that resonated with you, Deirdre.
#1 stop pretending that we are talking about 4 years or any finite period of time.
Hi Robin, I'm curious as to how this approach is helping you keep up the fight? Do you feel like it pushes you to take action?
I think that believing that Trump is the problem or that we only have to endure 4 years of this administration is unrealistic. It is a view that causes attachment to “winning” in 2028 rather than facing full on the societal and capital shifts that are occurring. So I am helped by taking a much broader view about how I live, spend and interact every day. The fight isn’t with our government.
I'm telling myself: No government is coming to save us.
The midterms are my target and the target establishes a work regimen. A known work regimen. The midterms are here in less than 22 months. We have to cut through the mass psychosis befalling this country. (See Mass Psychosis link.) https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/mentally-impaired-psychopathic-neo?r=3m1bs
👏👏👏