Post-inauguration anxiety, climate change and its most recent forms of devastation, and the daily realities of adulting can be exhausting and make you feel lonely, like nothing will ever get better.
In these moments, we have to remember that when we’re resourced enough to recall the truth of who we are, the world can feel a little less apocalyptic.
Now, part of my own belief system is that the purpose of our existence is to experience the full range of human emotion—elation, grief, pleasure, despair, boredom, rage, contentment—and to remember how we’re built to navigate it all. We do that by encountering challenges, engaging with our emotions, and returning to an embodied reality, all while hurling through the cosmos on a tiny, water-covered rock.
This whole setup is mysterious and wonderful in its absurdity, isn’t it? We forget this.
If part of our coursework is to remember how to return to center as we ride these waves of emotion and interactive challenge, where do we begin?
I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately because tomorrow is Inauguration Day (and Martin Luther King Jr. Day) in the US. And while some people’s lives may not be significantly disrupted on a daily basis, most of us in marginalized groups—along with those who believed in democracy—have been dreading January 20th.
I’m not suggesting that we shouldn’t feel what has been arising, but I am offering a few new perspectives. Ones that we can come back to time and time again over the next four years and beyond.
Remember to Zoom Out
A friend and former Buddhist psychology coach of mine, Anahita Moghaddam sent me this track—called Burgs by Mt. Wolf, released in 2015, featuring a gorgeous discourse from spiritual teacher Guy Burgs. As a meditation guide herself, Anahita wanted to share the wisdom imbued in these lyrics. Watch or listen to this…
Life is meant to be extraordinary. To feel that you’re alive, to be in touch with your heart. What a gift it is to be in a body—regardless of how it functions—and to experience life’s highest highs and lowest lows.
Joy and Community
To be in joy in the face of fear and control is a form of resistance. It can also simply be an expression of inner freedom—to allow yourself to delight in a wondrous, blissful feeling.
Community, however you define it, is another source of resistance—in that humans are fueled by belonging and reliance on one another but have been l(i)ed to believe that they don’t. That they are separate and need to compete with one another for power and resources. But this illusion of separation is precisely what keeps us from experiencing our collective strength and resilience. When we come together—whether in protest, celebration, mutual aid, or simply sharing a meal—we demonstrate that another way is possible.
Connection doesn't always require grand gestures. It can be as simple as checking in on a neighbor, joining a local book club, or volunteering at your community’s soup kitchen. These acts of togetherness extend far beyond their immediate impact.
Try to remember that joy is available in every moment, and community exists (or can be created) in every corner of our lives.
We Have Agency
Life can also be incredibly simplified—in stark contrast to what we’ve been led to believe by way of societal constructs, other humans’ interpretations and directives, and systems designed to work only for those who designed them. We don’t have to play the game if we don’t want to. We just have to remember that we have a choice.
In my last piece, I talked about finding peace in a post-moderated social landscape; as of today, we can add the banning of TikTok in the US to this list. While this impacts about 1.3 million creators who make a living on the platform, think about the power in the disruptive invitation we have just been given. Instead of TikTok users flocking back to Instagram (Meta), we have the opportunity to pause and choose whatever path is best for each of us—whether that’s a different platform altogether, time away from platforms for an indeterminate period, or joining (or creating) smaller communities both online and on-land.
Using the sentiment from Guy Burgs, we can choose to spend less time disembodied, listening to the news and doom-scrolling on social media—and more time reconnecting with our bodies, friends and chosen family, and in nature. These are the very things from which we have been purposefully disconnected. Why? Because if we are disconnected from the power of community, shared resources, and the natural world, we are far easier to control.
Again, we have agency at every turn. We can choose to do the opposite of what’s expected, experiment against the grain, and find small ways to practice liberating ourselves. Opt out and unsubscribe whenever something feels repetitively depleting, just say no to “obligations,” stop being “polite” and start standing up for others, repair instead of buying new, create gifts with your hands, suggest IRL gatherings, question why more often. You get the idea. Each time you free yourself a little more, you light the way for others to experience the same.
I truly believe that in these acts of liberation, we will gain more traction because those who could never imagine breaking from societal norms will be compelled to give it a try. And as we know, a taste of freedom in any form, is priceless and highly motivating.
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