Fact-free future: Grow empowered

Yesterday Trump held a press conference indicating he’s open to the idea of taking sovereign territories by force, and Meta let us know their collective platforms will do no longer try to help prevent hate and disinformation. In ways that some may have even failed to notice, that’s an astonishingly bad day for the America the shining beacon on the hill.

Is it time to panic yet? Believe it or not, No! it’s not. But it is time for action, just not the first ones that come to mind.

As I’ve checked in with my network on how they’re doing following a chaotic and terrifying day, I have heard variations on two broad themes:

1) panic and escape 2) exhaustion and avoidance.

Both of these are reasonable and natural responses to the PTSD-inducing reality unfolding around us. They represent two versions of the “flight” option in our instinctive ‘fight or flight’ responses. And many of us who are concerned are feeling like we don’t have much fight left, or even if we do, it’s a hopeless endeavor.

This is where our coach might ask, “What evidence do you have for this feeling” and after citing the election… we might be prompted to zoom out, think bigger, and find a perspective that is broader than this moment in time. We know that there are pendulums in motion, actions and reactions, and that while this moment is bad it is not forever.

This too shall pass.

So, how do we grow empowered in this moment? There are a few things I recommend to help you get through the near-term difficulties while also working to usher in a better long-term outcome. 

1. Sit with the feelings – There is an awful pressure we often feel to immediately escape any bad feeling, or to succumb and be overwhelmed by it. These are the options most of us have  - our brain chemistry has been ‘wired’ for this pathway. It is possible to rewire, though, with practice. Mindfulness meditation is the exercise of observing our thoughts with benign detachment. By practicing focusing on the present moment as experienced in sensations in your body (typically ‘focusing on the breath’ moving in and out) you can then graduate to observing thoughts and even emotions without being taken captive by them. If you’re not familiar with mindfulness there are many resources available, including Tara Brach’s fantastic RAIN exercise to work through difficult and persistent emotions

   
   

2. Find your local community – There are a number of organizations that have been and will continue to work to ensure our best democratic ideals prevail beyond the challenges of this moment. (Search your area plus your interest for options that might include legal, journalistic, electoral, environmental, human rights and many more). Find a cause and a group that resonates with you, and volunteer with a local chapter. Meet like-minded people, and find comfort together in working on efforts that align with your passions.  If you’re able, make a donation to support these causes as well.
   

3. Be the change you want to see – Reach out to your existing network and see who might want to find comfort in good works such as making lasagna for people in need, volunteering at your local pantry or reading to the elderly. Every moment of giving and goodness you put into the world is an opportunity to improve someone’s day and help them achieve a headspace where they are more receptive to being the best and most generous version of themselves.
   

4. Establish boundaries for your own mental health – determine how much and frequently you can engage with current events and put guardrails in place to help yourself stick to them. You may decide to receive a single daily update from a trusted news source, and then cancel all the other emails and update lists you’ve accumulated over the years.  Maybe you will exclusively seek out information as you feel able, and will set a single, daily alarm to check in with yourself.
   

5. Maintain that perspective – the president elect will not be a part of your life forever, in fact he’s in the twilight of his life. The present moment is in no small part a reaction to economics, and all major indicators on inflation show it steadily moving in a better direction. You are a strong and capable person who can find the right ways to contribute to building the world you want to see for yourself and future generations of your loved ones.  This too shall pass, and YOU are building the change skills to usher it along to a better place just a little bit faster.