I don’t mean to bring politics into this space, but as I’ve been coming to terms with a second Trump administration, a part of me looked back at his first term and remembered who I became. I was a very, very angry and anxious person. It came out in bursts on Facebook and on people I love who were less concerned about the issues that were the main focus at the time.
I really do not like that version of me.
When the dust settled a bit under Biden, I learned how to cool down and be more gracious (I think to myself, “what would Mr. Rogers do?”). My relationships are much better now and I’m more levelheaded in my conversations.
I still want to be able to do my part in helping my community and to have brave conversations, but as I’m seeing his cabinet picks it has become clear that this will be an administration of rage.
He has been choosing every personality from Congress to television to twitter to lead the country, and he has been picking the most vocal and unhinged personalities.
With that as the backdrop, I want to still maintain some semblance of who I am and not fall into the pit of rage.
Has anyone else been thinking about this?
This may or may not be relevant to you or other’s situations but Trevor Noah had some great advice: watch the news no more than once, maybe twice a week. That’s all you really need to stay informed. More than that is just doom scrolling endless speculation pieces. This is exhausting.
Use this energy to get involved locally. You can’t personally affect things in Washington (and accept this), but you can have an effect locally.