I’m really not trying to get into politics. I’m just saying when we are in divisive times like this and there is financial stress, what do you do to stay sane?
I’m really not trying to get into politics. I’m just saying when we are in divisive times like this and there is financial stress, what do you do to stay sane?
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Sometimes in life you just have to dig in and hold on til the storm passes. Try to keep material needs simple. Reach out to other people. Focus on staying healthy.
Don’t doom scroll. Seek out irl relationships as much as possible. Meet people where they are instead of where you’d prefer them to be.
There is an arena of humanity that is outside arbitrary politics, and I try to engage with people there. I’m an atheist who is friends with a nun. We both care about people, which is the basis of our friendship.
Also, if alanon taught me anything, it’s to take life one day at a time.
Do real things, preferably with others. Go for a walk, do a jigsaw puzzle, read a library book.
Don’t watch the news.
Do positive things you can to make your situation better – whether that’s ways to save on groceries or a budget to help while things are so unsettled. Then do positive things for you like taking a walk or hanging out with friends or reading a good book. Stay off social media and the news – the 24 hour news cycle is enough to give anyone hives. Don’t get hung up on problems you have no way to solve or influence.
I voted in this election and I’ll vote in the next but right now, today, I can’t change things one way or the other so I’m not going to stress over it.
Go to the gym, volunteer with local festivals, check out a new local business, family board game night every night, read books, watch movies, putter around in the garden, play an instrument, work on a hobby, learn a new skill. Stay away from booze, drugs, and other forms of self destruction.
Everything changes, sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse. The key is to keep your morale up. Everything in my first paragraph is what helps me.
By protesting – making ‘good trouble’ as John Lewis said. For your inspiration, you can read about Congressman Lewis here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lewis
I don’t watch the news … I get enough info from my family etc to keep informed. I do jigsaw puzzles, write letters to friends, do whatever other hobbies I have … gardening season is coming up. I try to help people in my community. I don’t know what else to do either but that’s where I’m at.
I read, write, paint, play music, hang out with friends and family. Life is more than what’s going on in the world. I don’t mean that a person should not get involved, because we should all be involved with our society and community. However, burn out is a real thing and it’s important to live and find little moments of peace and joy even when, and maybe especially when, we’re still fighting to survive.
I just stay home and watch the animals
You focus on what’s in front of you:
You go to work.
You kiss your husband/wife/kids/pets goodbye when you leave, and when you get home.
You hang out with friends.
You engage in your hobbies. (Social media is a habit, NOT a hobby!)
You eat.
You exercise, if you’re smarter than me.
You sleep.
You engage self care from time to time.
You manage your mental health. Get any treatment you need. Doing otherwise is just playing life on hard mode for no reason.
You track your finances to make sure you have enough money to pay your upcoming bills.
None of the above require you to worry about divisive politics. None of the above require you to have any political awareness at all. Move your focus from geopolitics to living your life.
One of the nice things about getting old is that you realize who and what is important and why so you don’t spend time driving yourself crazy
The market and economy will bounce back like they always do even if people say this time is different. Every time is different
Cultivate and build community that is in solidarity with the human condition, human rights, empowerment, etc. Read up, discuss, and emulate models of resistance and hopeful responses on a personal and wider level. Work on health in similarly communal settings with peers who are socially aware and share values. Read the news instead of watching the endless cable “news” tv show that’s disconnected from the people and the kind of lived experience that grounds us away from the insanity.
There are things you can control, and there are things you cannot control.
Don’t doomscroll. If you want to check the news, do it once per day, for a few minutes. Set a timer. Otherwise focus on what you can control. No one expects you to save the world. But do what you can, where you are.
At least that’s what I’m telling myself.
Therapy and Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations help.
Mya Angelo once said “every storm runs out of rain.
For me, more books less Phone/TV.
Do what I do. Lie down on your bed and pull the covers over your head. Stay.
We survived 1968, 2001, and 2008. Things are very, very grim right now but focus on your immediate friends, family and yourself. Keep healthy and try to save money. Talk to your family about what to do in case of serious emergencies.
I stay away from the news on TV especially national news. I watch interesting streaming drama and varied things. Go outdoors, or just take a little drive in the sun around town. Consciously stop worrying because it never does any good or change a thing.
Ride my bike (motorcycle). Play with my cats. State to myself that I tried my best for many years but I am tired, it is time for younger people to take over.
I walk. A LOT.
I don’t associate with crazy people.
Know that “This Too Shall Pass”……… and stop paying attention to all the BS on social media. I’m not sure I would have made it to 63 if I was swamped with all of the negativity that the internet brings……
Some times it is best for your mental health to stick your head in the sand and ignore the world for a while…..but come up every now and then to vote and maybe protest…..
I learned to not obsess over things I have no control over….. and only obsess to the extent that I can effect change
I have always worked very hard in times like this as well in little economic crises in the past. I’m doing so again right now. There are more opportunities in bad times than good times. Most of the time, you can’t go wrong working a lot.
Connection.
Purpose.
Service.
But honestly this is good advice mo matter the times.
Focus on the things you can control.
I’ve been really leaning into my healthy supportive friendships and music and art (both that I connect with and as a way to express my own emotions).
I lived through 9/11 and thought the world was ending. It wasn’t.
I lived through Y2K and thought the world was ending. It wasn’t.
I lived through Covid and thought the world was ending. It wasn’t.
I remind myself of this every time my anxiety gets out of control. Because I felt exactly then like I do now. Humans adapt. Things balance out. That’s life
Personally I just chose to be happy and starting to treat ensuring that as a war lol. Thus far, it’s working lol
Listen to music, or non-political podcasts & audiobooks as much as possible – Stay OFF your phone & social media especially – Don’t watch the news. Be around people, real people in real life. Take it one day at a time.
And don’t forget to breathe.
Not read the comments on media posts and understand all media is biased.
I did everything in my power, from campaigning to door knocking to change the outcome of this election. Out of the 18-34 age group that bothered to vote there was a 5% increase in that age group voting Republican. Right now, I’m actually hoping we have another election but for this election cycle financially I’m okay. I volunteered hundreds of hours pre election but at this point I’m kind of just done. Y’all got what you voted for or chose not to vote at all and this is the result. Time for the younger people to step up to protest and make it to the polls IF we have another election.
You act. Failure to act is compliance. It’s how Hitler killed Jews.
Stop watching the news, stay off sites/pages that are divisive. Read your news from a balanced journalist that gives you facts from all sides and leaves opinions out of it. It hasn’t been that many years since that is what we got….facts and just facts. If you wanted an opinion you read an editorial piece.
Make your decisions based on facts, not hate.
Don’t allow media and hysteria to freak you out. They get more views the more dramatic they are.
Turn off the TV, sit tight and the stock market will rebound.
Hang in there!
Community, family, walking the dog, loving on my husband, son and 5 cats. Church and gardening.
I volunteer. If you can afford to, find a volunteer stint that captures your heart, soul, and spirit, and delve into it full force!
When I can’t stand it I go hiking or go pick up litter on the highway in the forest here. Getting out in nature is very good for mental health in general and doing something to improve the world is rewarding as well.
My ancestors came to North America in the early 1600s. They survived all the wars and violence. French and Indian wars. Revolutionary War, 1812, Civil War, etc. Guaranteed that life then was much more difficult and much more dangerous than what we are dealing with.
So far I’ve survived every president since 1960 and every issue they created.
Hunker down, go into emotional survival mode, keep healthy , focus on gratitude, family, friends and what you can do ( vote, support, volunteering, ECT). Learn the art of frugal living if you’ve never faced poverty or hardships. Take up a hobby, new activities that don’t cost money.
Remember that this too shall pass.
Every generation, depending on their race, economics, class and location has faced upheavals and a crazy world from the first world war to a world of lynchings, riots , the great depression, the second world war to the Korean War to the Vietnam War to the civil Rights movement and riots.
Keep your focus and follow your plan. But definitely pay attention to what’s going on around you.
Take care of your mental health. When you feel overwhelmed it’s okay to take some time.
I remind myself that there are people that would love to have the life I have. My problems are so small, compared to some. So I can’t afford some items anymore, I can’t travel to places I wanted to go to, and hope is vanishing. I have a roof over my head, I am healthy, I am loved, and I can find reasons to smile every day.
This is how I stay sane, plus I turn off news and Reddit is my only social media and I have muted most political subs.
Don’t ruminate very long over things that you have no control over. Just focus on the things that you do like your job, relationships, family, saving money for the future like buying a house or land and building a house, getting married and having kids, you know…good stuff
This too shall pass. It’s been better, it’s been worse. The older you get, the more you realise things cycle.
Costco is our new family friend. We have stockpiled everything we can. I do my best to keep my home a restful sanctuary. I cuddle and play with my rescue lab/pointer and her cat. I walk my pup every day and do fun things with my children and grandchildren. I VOTE! We won huge victories this month in WI. The protests are significant against racist, misogynistic, felonious, rapist, traitor Trump. Cory Booker is a hero!
Live like a lot of people did 100 yrs ago.
You had a garden, and chickens, milk cow, goats and sheep, maybe a beef cow.
You shared and traded with your neighbors, and most people had some kids of trade type skill or talent.
In today’s world you would get rid of internet, streaming services and internet TV.
Go back to multigenetation families in one home.