Turbo Boil, or What is Working for Me
There is a setting on my stove on my favorite burner (we all have our favorite) that says “Turbo Boil.” That is how I feel politics have been since January 20th. I felt overwhelmed at first, then I got the flu (helpful to be able to disengage from the world), and then I remembered. From 2016-2020 I was not living in the USA, but I was the frog in the pot that felt the water getting warmer. It just took a lot longer to boil last time. This time the temperature was full on turbo boil from day 1. Multiple times I have looked up in the daze and thought “This isn’t working.” The proactive, intentional part of myself is trying to wrestle control from the panicked, overwhelmed part of me. Here are some of the things I’ve come up with in my (mutiple) journeys toward being healthy and flourishing, figuring out what works for me:
1. Plan how/when/where to get news updates that works for a healthy me. Personally, I do not like to be surprised by the news (it isn’t going to be an easy four years). I like politics to be boring. I like a nice update in the morning so I feel generally competent in what is happening around me in the world, without being stressed out. I have never watched “The News” as it is known (CNN, FOX and so on). I subscribe to two generally drama-free daily email sign-ups: Quartz, and the Morning Dispatch (both have paid and unpaid versions-I do the free one). I have also found that WRITTEN news from a generally neutral source is nice before diving into anything else: WATCHING the news, even one that tries to be neutral has a LOT MORE emotion connected to it. A friend suggested “The Pour Over” as a good written option as well.
(March 12th Rachel speaking) Scratch all of that. It worked for the last administration. It isn’t working now. I am going to focus my mornings on spending time with the girls, reading aloud together, and cleaning the house. I will save my news emails in a folder and read them on Saturdays: if I want to. I will watch any news update things on Saturdays: if I have the bandwidth. I will listen to any newsy podcasts on Saturdays: I can call it “Sad Saturdays.” Social media will mostly just be on Saturdays, now that I’ve removed it from my phone.
What works for you? When works for you? How does it work for you?
2. Look for the helpers (as Mr. Rogers says)—the people who are saying and doing what I want to do and say, but better. I love writing blogs, but it is a sigh of relief when I find someone else who has already done it—and better than I could. Here are some accounts I follow on Instagram and Facebook (when I go on my laptop, not my phone):
World Relief, We Choose Welcome, Women of Welcome about immigration and refugees
Benjamin Cremer and Rich Villodas about Christianity
And Campaign for political balance
Little Way Chapel for celebrating more liturgical things
I have been looking for and posting more books that I find helpful. Books are a slower, more thoughtful responce to things. Also, who are the real life people I see, in my own community, that are doing really great things? Who/where are your helpers?
3. Create over consume. This is my motto for this year- to work on creating more than consuming things. I am upset about something? Instead of re-posting that snarky take, why don’t I create my own blog to share that I have carefully prayed through. Instead of wondering why no one is doing something, why don’t I do something? If I already have started doing something, why don’t I find a creative way to exhort others to good works as well? What is your motto getting you through these days?
4. Do more than speak. This is connected to create over consume, but also getting off the screen. Get into real life. Get into relationships. This is so important to our overall health (especially mental health). I will lump in a call to get out into nature in this point as well. What actions are helping you?
5. Always, over and over, return to Christ as my center, as my core, as my identity. A friend of a friend put it so well: “I am going through cancer, but cancer is not who I am.” We are going through some things—but this is not our identity. This is not who we are, and to make it who we are is exhausting and unhealthy. I’ve given my life to Jesus, so He is my identity. He is my core, my center, and no matter what crazy thing happens next, I run to Him and He is there.