The number one question I am being asked right now is:
How can I stay aware & engaged without getting overwhelmed & depleted?
It’s a great question, and it’s a tough balance.
We know deep down that simply disconnecting isn’t the right answer, but sometimes it feels like it’s the only option. And that’s not true!*
The great news is you can stay both engaged and well.
I have a general rule of thumb:
Balance Awareness with Action.
(This is actually a great rule for a lot of things in life!)
So what does this mean in practice? Like in a day-to-day sense?
Read the news, or go on social media, until you feel aware enough and maybe even angry enough to take action. And. Then. Stop. Reading.
And take an action.
When you notice those anxious, outraged, swirly feelings start to arise, stop and take an action.
Anger & anxiety are your body’s reaction to challenging or unjust things, to give you the energy to do something about what you are seeing.
If you just consume & consume without taking action, you will become overwhelmed and go from energised to frozen, rooted in place and doomscrolling into oblivion with nowhere for your feelings to go.
The action you take could be anything which you would want to see more of in a better world.
It could be related specifically to the issue you have read about, it could be building connection or community with the people around you, or it could be doing something specifically for your own wellbeing which will help bolster your resilience.
All of these things are essential ingredients of sustainable change.
All of these things matter. Small things add up.
(I will share a list of specific ideas for actions soon)
Following this ‘rule’ alone will shift things for you, I promise you that.
And if you want some more practical tips, here are some:
Don’t look at a screen in the morning before you have looked at the sky or connected with another person irl.
Don’t look at the news or social media in the last hour before bed.
Set an actual timer on your phone every time you start reading or watching the news, or going on social media.
If you are starting to feel overwhelmed by it all, step away, show yourself compassion – it IS overwhelming – and then regulate your nervous system (my next newsletter will tell you how).
Build time in every day to do something joyful/playful/fun. Non-negotiable. Every day. Joy is an act of resistance. So is self-care.
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