Tips to Stay Grounded in this Political Moment
Tips and resources to stay rooted in what matters most
Hey, homie. How are you holding up? I hope that you’ve been able to take deep breaths amongst the daily onslaught of mainly negative information out of Washington.
The United States feels like it’s on fire right now. Daily news alerts. Flurries of executive orders. That one cousin on Facebook who proudly boasts about voting for trump. That other cousin on Facebook who hates everyone who even questioned Biden’s actions in Gaza.
Unapologetically I roll my eyes at both cousins, sift through the news and executive orders, and focus on the things that are important to me.
There’s a lot of shit happening. Sorting through the muck and the mire is difficult, especially in this time where trump is in the oval office. But know this - everything right now is designed to overwhelm your senses by the elite. As difficult as it is, it’s important to be intentional with how you consume news, how you engage online, and how you spend your time.
Mariame Kaba teaches that “hope is a discipline.” I’m flexing my discipline by staying as grounded as I can.
This entry is a collection of things I do to stay grounded, and resources on what I read and consume to be present. Please share this entry with others if you find it useful.
This post from Zulynette, a brilliant writer and friend, is so true. Before I continue, you should subscribe to Zulynette’s Substack, Soft Woman with a Machete. Last year, I was fortunate to be on her podcast, Lighting a Candle. You can listen to our conversation on boundaries and menal health here and here.
With everything going on, it’s natural to get anxious, to spin, to be cynical, to be in despair. Those natural reactions are also intentionally activated by the oppressors. The elite actively work to keep the average person ignorant, distracted, full of cynicism, and defeatist feelings. It works to keep us stuck in place, stagnant and un-moving. We’re all too busy working, trying to keep our bodies from falling apart, and dealing with this weird ass experience of being human. While we’re busy and distracted, they profit. Sell us things to distract us, keep us cynical by squashing our motivation, keep us running in the hamster wheel of life while they raise the cost of living. The elite profit off of our bodies that are too tired to fight back. It’s a vicious cycle of oppression and distraction that the elite have used for centuries.
Some people stay in that place forever. We all know someone who has. And if I’m honest, it’s an active process for me not to stay there and become that person. The call to stay in that distracted place is a siren’s song.
Fortunately for me, I’m delusional enough to believe that things will be alright in the end. I come from a people of resistance. I don’t know anything else but being delusional, believing that we gon be alright, and taking the right steps to push us towards that direction.
Instead of staying in that place, I keep my hope alive. I do everything in my power to keep on moving. Action defeats anxiety and stagnation every time.
Below are some general tips and habit’s I’ve developed to keep me grounded during these times:
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Get your information from reputable sources
Not just news, but information. If you’re watching a tik tok or scrolling on facebook, that’s information you’re taking in, in addition to news. Be mindful that not everything you see online will help you.
If you spot something that you’re unsure is true or not, set time to research it further. Try to put it out of your mind for as long as you can.
If you’re not sure who’s reputable, think about the people and organizations you trust. If you don’t trust anyone, then you’re going to feel even more isolated and defeated. Curate that list of reputable sources of people that you can rely on.
Think about the framing of what you’re reading, and recognize what you want to do
Is the frame to educate you on an issue? Move you to action? Provide an update on an earlier news story? To scare you?
I try to only get information from people and groups that frame issues in ways that seek to build, not just destroy. I want to build and destroy.
Set caps for how long you want to engage with the news
In the early morning, I try to limit myself to 15 minutes of engaging online in the news and with specific sources that won’t activate my nervous system too badly.
Focus on what you can control in the present moment and plan for the future
What can I do now? Share a resource? Donate? Sign up for an action? What can I do in the future? What’s my capacity and where are my skills best used?
Read a transcript rather than watching an interview, address, or reading a news article
I can’t stand to listen to trump speak, especially when my energy is already low. I opt to read a transcript when I can.
There are different ways to consume inforamation that may be useful for you depending on your mood.
These are tools that help me move through when I find myself in the bad place for far too long.
Resources to keep you informed, inspired, and sane:
Subscribe to Kelly Hayes’ newsletter, Organizing My Thoughts. This entry I linked includes a ton of great resources, including practical ways to turn off, take action, and steady yourself for the fight ahead.
Subscribe to YK Hong’s substack, Liberation Toolbox
Their work always leaves me with solid information and action steps.
Subscribe to Leah Lakshimi’s Substack, postcards from the end of the world
I met Leah last summer at theBrew & Forge Witches & Warrior’s Fellowship. The entire fellowship was life changing. Leah’s work continues to be a guiding star, and they’re an amazing person whom I learn from regularly.
Subscribe to Mariame Kaba’s substack, Prisonculture
Subscribe to Aaron Parnas’s substack, The Parnas Perspective
His nightly rundown and analyses are solid.
Writings on social movements in other parts of the world. This week for me it’s Abdaljawad Omar. His writings remind me that oppression is interconnected, especially this piece on the Left.
Purchase Reclaiming The Black Body by Alishia McCullough. I first met Alishia McCullough after joining a support group that she co-facilitated years ago. We met once a month, a unique band of Black misfits, working on our relationships with our bodies. That space was one of the most warm and welcoming I've ever been in, and that's due in part to the work that Alishia put into it. That's part of how she shows up, who she is, and what she does. Alisha has helped me to grow personally, professionally, and quite honestly, spiritually. I've grown knowing her and working with her. I've grown as a person working on this book over the last few years.
Read PET and BITTER by Akwaeke Emezi. Both books grapple with what happens when we achieve liberation, and the worldbuilding it takes to get there.
Radical Reads from me on Tik Tok (from me!). Parts I, II, and III. Shameless self plug - I’ll have more in the series in the coming weeks.
Build intentional relationships and get involved in your community. This is so much easier said than done. One of the first things you hear people say in times like these is “build community,” but what the fuck does that really mean? What does it mean when we’re so much more isolated, disconnected, distrustful, poor, and operating in survival mode?
For me, it means calling people even when I feel like shit, because I know that speaking with a comrade will always make me feel better. It means understanding that my survival is interconnected to my neighbors and my friends, and being intentional about cultivating something positive. It means going to events held by local groups in my community that’s doing work, even if I don’t know people there because I want to stay connected to other people. It means being honest with myself, trying to align my daily actions with my values. It’s still trying to build a relationship with new people even if it feels weird and funny and strange, because I know we are all we have in the end.
I saw this great exchange on Twitter that I’ll link below that also captured this feeling. Grateful to try every day, and to recognize that we’re the only people who are going to save us.
I don’t know everything, and neither do you. But together, I know we’ll be able to figure it out.
I hope this was helpful. Drop me a line if it was.
Thanks for being along for the ride.
Kenyatta ✨