No matter what your political views are, these are very turbulent times. Since November, more people have become vocal. People have organized protests on all sorts of issues ranging from immigration to health care, to science. It's very easy to feel lost and anxious amidst all this political turmoil. I know I myself feel panicky at the thought that I'm not doing enough to make a difference. It gets to the point where I scroll past news articles because I can't take the stress.
It can be especially triggering when friends speak about these issues pubicly on social media. Maybe you're worried about whether or not you should post about it as well, or whether a simple like is doing enough to show support. Or maybe you just need a break from everything that is going on.
Regardless of what's triggering your stress or how you're feeling, remember that the weight of the world does not fall upon your shoulders. Yes it's important to care about these issues affecting our country, whether or not they directly affect you. However, taking that time for yourself will give you some much needed perspective and replenish you to fight about the things you care about. After all, how can you expect to give to anyone else when you yourself are depleted?
And if you do want to make more of a difference, do it because you feel passionately about it, not because you feel pressured to do so. Do you find protests too stressful? There are so many other things you can do with your own individual talents. For example, I love to write and I found an opportunity to write an op-ed piece about saving funding for national service programs like AmeriCorps. It didn't feel like a burden or a responsibility, and it was small, but I felt relaxed because I took a step that was authentic to me. I encourage you to explore your passions and talents and incorporate them into making a difference in your own way.
No comments:
Post a Comment