Monday, December 30, 2024: I will continue to add light to the world.

How to Remain Joyful in Difficult Times by GoodNewsRoundup

I have been able to keep a lot of joy in my life since the election.  

I’ve had moments of despair and worry and anger.  I anticipate having more.

My own personal life has had great moments of joy as well as great sorrow and worry.  You know how life tends to be.

But I am choosing joy.  I am choosing optimism.  I am choosing kindness.

That may sound naive or impossible or foolish but to me it comes down to a concerted effort and determination to not let that monster take from me what he took from me in 2016 — my joy.

I spent months after the 2016 election having panic attacks.  Feeling depressed.  Feeling dread.  If you are feeling that way now, I understand.  My heart goes out to you.  I have been there.

But this time, I made a decision not to let him take my joy. To me, keeping joyful and hopeful and kind is the ultimate act of resistance. He will not live in my mind. I will not let a fascist mind frame take over. I will continue to enjoy this precious amazing beautiful  wonderful difficult and amazing life we are given.

I will continue to add light to the world.

How am I keeping from the despair I felt last time?  I’ll tell you in case it helps any of you.  But, before I do, please know that this is stuff that has worked for me — every person needs to find what works for them.  Also, in 2016 medication was what I needed to get past the panic.  If you need that, NO SHAME.  Do what you need to do to feel better.

Here is what I am doing, this time around:

1. Limiting the amount of time I spent on the news.   A lot of news is just clickbate and panic porn.  There is literally 0 benefit to bathing in the news.  I check it in the morning and get caught up.  That is it.

2. search out positive news I find mine from all over but you can find it here if you want — we publish these 7 days a week at 7am.  Finding positive news can change your mind frame and really help.

3. don’t catastrophize what I learned from trump 1.0 was that he says a lot of stuff to keep himself at the front of the news.  Lots of it is garbage that won’t actually happen.  Pay attention, but don’t panic about every word he says.  cross bridges only when we need to.

4. remember that you don’t have to save the world we need you as a part of this but you are only one small part.  You can’t ignore this, but it isn’t your job to do all of this.

5. Pick a lane in that same vein, pick what you can do and do that — maybe a call a day.  maybe donating money.  You don’t have to do all of it.  You can’t.

6. practice gratitude I formed a gratitude group with about 100 people in FB and we all post things we are grateful for.  Often they are little things like the sun peaking through a cloudy sky.  it is a great reminder of how much beauty there is in life.

7. keep up your social relationships even if you have to force yourself, go to brunch.  have coffee with a friend.  Make a call.   Text someone.  Anything.

8. Do kind things for others research suggests that nothing is better at making us feel better than doing for others.

9. enjoy beauty get outside.  go to a museum.  see a play.

10. keep doing the things you love it is ok to still have fun.  In fact, it is more important than ever!