You and I are connected by our desire to free ourselves from the oppressive systems that make us question our worth and distance us from our humanity, each other, and the earth.
The executive orders, threats, and illegal actions being taken by Trump and his billionaire buddies are rage-inducing, frightening, and overwhelming. They are ruthless in their pursuit of power and profit.
There are very few among us whose rights, safety, and humanity are not being threatened.
The good news is - we outnumber them. If each of us takes persistent, intentional action to disrupt and fight against what's happening, we will win.
We are powerful, together.
Our anger can guide our way, like a lantern.
What do we do next?
Right now, it's hard to know what to feel, and even more difficult - what to do. I'm right there with you.
In this post, I will share a few ideas, resources, and tools that have been helpful to me lately:
The value of cold anger
Taking care of you first
Using your anger as a tool at home, locally, and federally
Cold anger is a tool
Our anger is a signal that something needs to change.
Whether it inspires you to fight for equity at home or demand your elected representatives challenge Elon Musk's government takeover, it’s all connected and it all matters.
Cold anger is a concept that I learned about as a community organizer. I was enchanted by the idea that we can translate our anger into action and that our actions can create positive change in the world.
While hot anger (rage) is impulsive and reactionary, cold anger is focused, patient, and intentional. It's the kind of anger that builds movements and leads to lasting change.
cold anger → patient, intentional action → meaningful change
Instead of feeling paralyzed by your rage or burning out (I'm familiar with that too!), you can use the energy generated by your cold anger to take slow, persistent, intentional action.
Cold anger is countercultural.
What is your anger telling you?
→ What in your life feels unjust or misaligned with your values?
→ Which issues happening at home, in your community, or on a national scale fire you up the most?
✨The answer is a big clue about where to focus your energy.✨
Tend to you first
Before you can turn your anger into action, you need care - time to feel, to rest, to attend to your needs, and to experience joy.
Cold anger teaches us to move patiently and persistently. It takes the hustle and energy-crushing urgency off the table.
You can take a breath. You can let others care for you. You can rest. Without this care, you won't be able to stay in action. You will burn out.
Places to check-in with yourself:
Have I given myself time and space to feel my feelings?
How is my sleep?
How does my nervous system feel?
Is there space in my life for creative outlets?
Two of my favorite exercises to regulate your nervous system:
Grief resources:
Tending Grief by Camille Sapara Barton
GEN Toolkit on Weaving Grief, the Body, and Transformative Justice
Three inspiring books about embracing rest and rejecting hustle culture:
Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey
4000 Weeks by Oliver Burkeman
Laziness Does Not Exist by Dr. Devon Price
Turning your anger into action
At home
What's happening at home that makes you feel angry?
What need is not being met? What is behind your anger?
→ What is an extremely small, manageable action you can take? Persistent, intentional actions can lead to big change.
Locally
Action
With everything feeling so chaotic at the national level, taking action locally can feel very fulfilling because you can see the impact. And, your community needs your persistent, intentional, patient commitment. Team up with a friend and hold each other accountable.
→ Which issues locally are inspiring you to feel angry?
→ What is one issue that you want to commit your energy to? For me it is the lack of support for students with learning disabilities in our local schools.
→ How can you get involved in a way that feels fulfilling and doesn't burn you out?
Federally
Stay informed
The chaos coming from the White House is meant to confuse and overwhelm us. Major news networks are not reliable - they use alarmist tactics to fight for our attention and are often part of the political machine. For example, Jeff Bezos owns the Washington Post.
Here are a few trusted news sources that leave out the sensationalism:
Jessica Valenti - daily newsletter dedicated to abortion rights, and the feminist community that supports it.
Heather Cox Richardson - Near daily newsletter about the history behind today's politics.
Jessica Yellin - Monday and Friday newsletter that takes the sensationalism out of the news.
AOCÂ - Hosts regular Instagram lives that are worth your time.
Take Action
Even though it sometimes feels like no one is listening, calling or emailing your elected officials does make a difference. Our voices together are loud and impactful. Here are two tools that make it easy:
5calls - download this app. It provides scripts and phone numbers to your elected officials. It makes it as easy as possible.
Resistbot - Resist.bot will turn your texts with them into faxes, emails and postal mail, sending them directly to your representatives.
What else?
What would you add? What has been helpful to you? Comment below.
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