Resisting the Temptation to Freeze

The first three months of 2025 have been overwhelming, to say the least. Our current  political and social climate is yielding an information overload in the media, where every article, update, and soundbite is designed to either distract, confuse, or disenfranchise the average person. Human rights that were guaranteed a year or two ago have been put on the chopping block, and the list just keeps getting longer. CEOs are becoming celebrities who are now politicians.  Meanwhile the climate is in crisis and the cost of living is still out of control. Every day, young people like me feel more certain that we’re in The Bad Place. 

In times like these, it’s endlessly tempting to keep my head down, drown out the noise, and just focus on getting myself through each day. I want to make it clear that if that’s where you are right now, I’m not here to shame or judge you. However, I do hope to gently coax you to resist that temptation and to instead, learn to lean into community during times of turmoil. I know that’s much easier said than done, so I’ve broken things down into three baby steps you can start with. 

First, and most importantly, allow yourself to feel your feelings. Do whatever you need to do. Breathe, cry, scream, create, destroy, punch a pillow, hug a pillow, write, vent, take a bath, go for a walk, jog, swim, or hike. Dissociation isn’t inherently harmful as a temporary response to stress or trauma but the longer you distance yourself from the reality of how you feel, the more difficult it’s going to be to face when the time comes. Your feelings aren’t the problem; they’re entirely proportionate to an overwhelming, unjust, and systemic problem. Denying yourself the ability to connect with that truth doesn’t benefit anybody, and it doesn’t leave you any more equipped to handle the challenges to come. 

Secondly, connect with your immediate community. Check on your neighbors. Call your friends. Visit your family (chosen or otherwise). We live in a hyper-individualist, consumerist society that profits off  convincing individuals that the systemic issues we all face can and should be solved by paying a corporation to make our lives better. Be it a subscription service, a membership, or a sweet treat. I’m not saying you don’t deserve nice things, but I am saying that nice things can’t comfort you while you cry. Reach out to the people you love and care about. Ask for the support you need. Offer them the support they need. Stop expecting yourself to navigate everything independently. You’re not a “burden,” you’re a human being with desires and needs like every other human being. You’re not “trauma dumping,” you’re just having a conversation about your feelings with a person who cares about you and how you feel. 

And third, explore and expand your support networks. We’re talking about capital C Community now; not just the people you already know and are close with. Do you know what types of resources your local communities have to offer? Are there nonprofits? Grassroots and community organizations? Free markets, pantries, closets, fridges, or community gardens? Food distribution? Peer counseling? Courses? Workshops? Skillshares? Time banks? Lending circles? These are just a handful of available options, and the possibilities will vary widely from community to community. You may not be interested in all of these things and you may not be personally in need of any of these things at this moment. But, you could be in the future, or maybe one of your friends might be, or you may meet someone who is. Instead of feeling isolated or blaming yourself or feeling like you’ve let someone down, you’ll have somewhere to turn. 

I know that doing these things won’t save the world or even the day. It won’t put an end to fearful and uncertain circumstances. But, maybe it can offer you a starting point. A stepping stone to treating yourself and others with kindness and understanding. A place to ground yourself when you’re not sure where else to turn.  And hopefully, even help you begin to discover, foster, or strengthen a patient and loving community to have your back when you need it.