A Stronger Mind

Part of thriving under collapse has to be to mourn the life that you thought you'd be able to live.

That will take a while. Most of us are not there yet.

Is Somebody Doing Something?! Yes. Let me break it down for you.

This is a week old post, but it really highlights how news coverage has helped the administration create a sense of helplessness and panic. There HAS been resistance on many fronts. And we will resist much more in the days to come.

I'm finding the stoicism of the workplace especially grueling right now. Hard to tell who's got strong coping mechanisms, who's in denial, who's unaffected by fascism or doesn't care. Hearing "yes it's bad" can be such a relief. We're not crazy.

So many of us feel helpless right now. It's hard to identify highly effective, impactful things to do. I think it's a good time to reflect on our values, and find activities we want to do simply because we feel they're ethically right, no matter what the outcomes are.

Rebecca Solnit is way smarter than me, but I'm less optimistic that we're seeing enough resistance from high-level federal and state agency officials. The less they blatantly say "NO" to the administration's insane demands now, the greater the chances of mass civil unrest in a few weeks or months.

I honestly believe our most powerful position in a toxic time that feeds on cynicism, apathy,& despair is to genuinely care and act for a better world.

Cynicism is our enemy. We should check it, incl. on the left. It’s not intellectually superior. It’s the virus they’re trying to infect us with. NO

I think the idea that "if you're not angry, you're not paying attention" can be really damaging. If you're angry, exhausted, and overwhelmed, you can't pay attention, or do anything as effectively as you could if you were calm, energized, and focused.

Helpful!

May we meet the current wave of persecution with the courage and defiant smiles our spiritual ancestors did.

I'm getting back to more consistency with my 10 minute #meditation practice every morning. I've noticed the difference in my day: less panic, more focus, more awareness allowing me to intercept and shut down rumination. Just 10 minutes can make a difference.

Probably the most important advice in this moment

Don't Gaslight Yourself. You're Right To Grieve What's Happening to America. I know what you're thinking.

If enough time passes, an otherwise healthy person can start to get used to sickness.

They can slowly begin to convince themselves that almost any horrifying, toxic, painful, twisted reality is acceptable.

johnpavlovitz.substack.com/p/dont-gasli...

I'm starting the week behind on so many things. Sometimes the best you can do isn't good enough. And that has to be good enough. You accept that reality and take it from there. #mentalhealth

my therapist recommended that if you can't figure out what to do right now, focus on "the fundamentals." strengthen your relationships. fortify your mental and physical well-being. get rest and refreshment where you can. these investments will be crucial when actions finally become clear to you

[photo: Six orcas move through calm water. The image is taken just above the surface of the water and the image is slightly overexposed from the sun shining off the water, creating a dreamy glowing effect. Four of the orcas have a small portion of their backs visible above water while the other two only have the fins visible.]

Telling folks to just "plug in to community" rn is well-meaning and if you can do that, wonderful. But most people are not super connected to community for many reasons. So, if you don't have community rn that's ok, consider finding 2-5 ppl you can form a pod with.

www.soiltjp.org/our-work/res...

Community is the antidote to despair.

Happy to host! 🌹

hi! this account is about figuring out how to foster individual and collective resilience, how to face the major crises of our times without losing our minds, how to stay effective in our struggles and in our lives