Ah Krista! I have a connected story, so i'll tell it. I promise I'm not trying to talk you into hitting the streets. I think right now we all have to figure out how to survive the moment and outlast this motherfucker. And if we collapse from overextending we take ourselves out of the game. We've got votes to cast, after all.
About a month after he was elected I found myself in bed in my father's house (I drive there regularly to look after him) and realized my worry and stress over it all was killing me. I was having specific physical and mental (which is physical too) symptoms. My body was saying "No!" And I had a talk with myself, realizing if I went down this road I'd end up in the hospital, then 1) I'd be straining a strained system, and 2) Who'd look after my dad. And *especially* since my massive overactivity was 99.5% worry, it didn't do the cause any good at all. In fact, it did it harm because it threatened to take me out. I came up with the saying. "You can't worry hard enough to fix this," and I go back to that to help me release. I think we all do have this idea that worrying harder is actually productive, when it's not at all; in fact it's the opposite.
So I'm not just allowing myself to be happy whenever possible, I'm insisting on it and doing whatever I can to nurture that. And I'm stepping away from anything that overstresses me. I told myself that keeping joy in the world matters, as does protecting my health. Job 1. And so...an interesting thing happened.
Where before I was so bound up in stress and worry, a simple 1-minute call to my senators stressed me out for half a day, now that I've let myself off the hook I've slid into a regular calling habit, a couple times a week (after hours, so I don't have to talk to a human). It's almost fun now, stacking up calls on my Republican senators' message bank. And I decided to go to a protest (bought an American flag at Walmart so I didn't have to make signs, and we need flags out there), and it was surprisingly great. I just hung out, waving my flag at cars going by. Then i walked walked away. And as soon as I started driving home I realized I had less fear. I've been to two more protests, and have come away feeling less fear than before from each one. I mean, it's like each protest has removed more fear overall. But that's my personal experience with where I'm at right now. If it changes I'll change.
So...it is OK to *not* get out there! And if by giving yourself permission to not, it leads you to experimenting with some action down the road, great! But you don't have to. This damn thing is gonna be a marathon. Plenty of us will be in the street and you can cheer us on. And yes, please keep creating beauty, keep writing stuff. That's political too.
I literally think the stress he causes is taking lives, never mind the more direct way he kills. But I’m so glad you found your balance in this - you’re right, I won’t be able to sit it out indefinitely and I do want to do my bit along the way. It’s a great idea to know I can leave messages after hours, that honestly alleviates a lot of anxiety!
I guarantee you the stress is taking lives. That's part of he plan too - to make us miserable so we one way or another we give up. Don't give in! Pull back. Experience joy.
Yeah, I'm an introvert too, and the idea of talking to a human (even if it's an intern) fills me with anxiety. Something else that might relieve the stress is to keep in mind that you're not trying to convince anybody, so don't try and leave complex, thoughtful messages (and only call your reps). All they do is mark your response on a ledger: FOR This; AGAINST That. You go into the tally, so keep it super simple. And calls do matter - I just learned this cycle that Republicans tend to call *a lot* more than Democrats (or at least they did; that may have changed), so...when/if you're ready...you can help balance that out.
Yessssssss I can relate to this so much. Sitting this one “out,” but also we are not, because by being aware and living with empathy, joy, kindness, and love we are doing our part for our families, communities, selves. The extroverts or energy rallying people are out there with signs, organization, protests, and we are inside here, doing our own version of revolution. Solidarity my introverted kindred spirit. ❤️💪🏼
Nice term. I suppose I have become more of an eremite lately, but I also do my little bit from my cave up here in Canada. Keep up the good fight.
Is there room for us in the cave?
Ah Krista! I have a connected story, so i'll tell it. I promise I'm not trying to talk you into hitting the streets. I think right now we all have to figure out how to survive the moment and outlast this motherfucker. And if we collapse from overextending we take ourselves out of the game. We've got votes to cast, after all.
About a month after he was elected I found myself in bed in my father's house (I drive there regularly to look after him) and realized my worry and stress over it all was killing me. I was having specific physical and mental (which is physical too) symptoms. My body was saying "No!" And I had a talk with myself, realizing if I went down this road I'd end up in the hospital, then 1) I'd be straining a strained system, and 2) Who'd look after my dad. And *especially* since my massive overactivity was 99.5% worry, it didn't do the cause any good at all. In fact, it did it harm because it threatened to take me out. I came up with the saying. "You can't worry hard enough to fix this," and I go back to that to help me release. I think we all do have this idea that worrying harder is actually productive, when it's not at all; in fact it's the opposite.
So I'm not just allowing myself to be happy whenever possible, I'm insisting on it and doing whatever I can to nurture that. And I'm stepping away from anything that overstresses me. I told myself that keeping joy in the world matters, as does protecting my health. Job 1. And so...an interesting thing happened.
Where before I was so bound up in stress and worry, a simple 1-minute call to my senators stressed me out for half a day, now that I've let myself off the hook I've slid into a regular calling habit, a couple times a week (after hours, so I don't have to talk to a human). It's almost fun now, stacking up calls on my Republican senators' message bank. And I decided to go to a protest (bought an American flag at Walmart so I didn't have to make signs, and we need flags out there), and it was surprisingly great. I just hung out, waving my flag at cars going by. Then i walked walked away. And as soon as I started driving home I realized I had less fear. I've been to two more protests, and have come away feeling less fear than before from each one. I mean, it's like each protest has removed more fear overall. But that's my personal experience with where I'm at right now. If it changes I'll change.
So...it is OK to *not* get out there! And if by giving yourself permission to not, it leads you to experimenting with some action down the road, great! But you don't have to. This damn thing is gonna be a marathon. Plenty of us will be in the street and you can cheer us on. And yes, please keep creating beauty, keep writing stuff. That's political too.
I literally think the stress he causes is taking lives, never mind the more direct way he kills. But I’m so glad you found your balance in this - you’re right, I won’t be able to sit it out indefinitely and I do want to do my bit along the way. It’s a great idea to know I can leave messages after hours, that honestly alleviates a lot of anxiety!
I guarantee you the stress is taking lives. That's part of he plan too - to make us miserable so we one way or another we give up. Don't give in! Pull back. Experience joy.
Yeah, I'm an introvert too, and the idea of talking to a human (even if it's an intern) fills me with anxiety. Something else that might relieve the stress is to keep in mind that you're not trying to convince anybody, so don't try and leave complex, thoughtful messages (and only call your reps). All they do is mark your response on a ledger: FOR This; AGAINST That. You go into the tally, so keep it super simple. And calls do matter - I just learned this cycle that Republicans tend to call *a lot* more than Democrats (or at least they did; that may have changed), so...when/if you're ready...you can help balance that out.
All good to know!!
I can't believe 2015 was a decade ago. What is even happening?!?
Hard to remember a time before all this shit
Yessssssss I can relate to this so much. Sitting this one “out,” but also we are not, because by being aware and living with empathy, joy, kindness, and love we are doing our part for our families, communities, selves. The extroverts or energy rallying people are out there with signs, organization, protests, and we are inside here, doing our own version of revolution. Solidarity my introverted kindred spirit. ❤️💪🏼
Thank you, I keep feeling like I'm supposed to get out there, but I just can't and that's OK!!!