Tuesday, July 17, 2018

Helplessness Management

If you love your country, you must be willing to defend it from fraud, bigotry, and recklessness--even from a president.
~DaShanne Stokes


I'm a pretty chill person. Under normal conditions, I don't spend much time angry. These are not normal conditions, though, and some part of me is angry at all times. To be honest, I think that's necessary. When I stop being furious about our GOP leadership being corrupt and immoral, I will have accepted the corruption and degradation of my country. That isn't going to happen.

I thought about having our topic be "anger management" but when I looked at the info about it, it wasn't quite right. I don't need to count to ten or I'll blow my top. It's really "helplessness management" that's my concern.

It feels like we have a "the emperor has no clothes" situation going on, but when the child at the end of the story says, "he's naked!" instead of the townspeople finding the courage to agree, 40% of them say things like, "I can't tell because I'm not looking," "We like making you mad that he's naked," and "None of the other emperors wore clothes." So what do you do when being clear-eyed is completely frustrating?


Emperor's New Clothes, Denmark


Here are some possibilities, in addition to getting out and protesting:

Support organizations that are trying to make a difference. You can support them by making a donation, by following them, by volunteering...

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington
Public Citizen (Protecting Health, Safety, and Democracy)
Let America Vote
Postcards to Voters

A book that might make you feel better:
What Unites Us by Dan Rather

A petition:
Need to Impeach

Things to read or do (self-care):
Mindful breathing
Random acts of kindness
Write yourself a love letter
Spending time with art
Body scan
Compliments
The APA on anger control

Whatever you do to help yourself or others is important and it matters. Thank you!

6 comments:

Bibb said...

Well said.

Jeanne said...

Yes, well said, indeed. Love the responses to "he's naked." So infuriating!

Liz Steinglass said...

Yes, thank you, this is an awful, awful time, and it takes a toll.

Michelle Heidenrich Barnes said...

Exactly.

Diane Mayr said...

One more thing to do: spending time MAKING art! Still, I'm feeling helplessness, too.

Michelle Kogan said...

Strong post Tabatha, with resourceful suggestions and links. I find solace and action in writing and art. Thanks!