(A short personal note: I have been deeply impacted by this election. I have been dealing with PTSD due to being raised by a narcissistic mother and sexually abused by a couple uncles when young. I was in a “Christian” cult from 1972 — 1988. I see and hear much cultic mentality and verbiage from dT’s base. November 8th triggered much. I have been climbing my way out of the darkness with many ups and downs. Knowing others are in this fight helps.)
Robin Chancer on PoliticsMeansPolitics.com has written a great article. I recommend it and putting what’s suggested into practice. We are in a marathon, not a sprint.
The truth is, individual psychology is hugely influenced by political realities. Many of us feel insane right now because our world is not sane. Current events are very much at odds with our natural optimism, and our belief in human goodness and progress…..Our anxious minds are caught in the dissonance between our belief in progress and our current political hellscape.
We need to practice Radical Acceptance. Hard though it may be, it’s needed for our sanity. Radical acceptance is the difference between pain and suffering. We can have pain from the political scene, but to suffer from it is on us. Donald Trump is President. The GOP are in charge. It is what it is.
How do we go from pain to active resistance without causing ourselves suffering? I still read diaries where folks are shocked by his comments, tweets, idiocy, and more. Accept that Donald Trump is as bad as he is. Accept that he is a malignant narcissist and if you don’t know what that means, research it. There is nothing that can be done to change who he is. No hope in him changing or getting smarter, clearer or better. Accepting that he is as bad as he is does not condone his behavior. Accepting doesn’t condone what the GOP is doing. The acceptance is for us and remember it’s Radical Acceptance. We will never, ever say that what they are doing is okay.
Another step we must take to remain sane.
Acknowledge that greed and racism are part of our nation’s fabric. We cannot wish them away. We cannot choose blindness disguised as positive bias; giving Republican politicians the “benefit of the doubt” has allowed them to get away with murder. Expect to find white rage in any discussion about immigration or discrimination, for example. Anticipating it will help us stay calm and focused. Once we accept that, we sharpen our focus to guard against their insidious infections. We focus on the work of fighting for human rights and accountability.
We are angry. We have the right to be angry. We have a malignant narcissist in the highest office. His words have enabled filthy scum to come to the top of the swamp. At least the greed and racism are fully in the open now. Racism is not hidden where our POC brothers and sisters have dealt with it for far too long. No more denial or saying we don’t know.
How do we move forward? Where is the fight? Where do we put our sacred energy and spirit? How do we fight for human rights and making those accountable? We first take care of ourselves. Seems selfish but it’s necessary for the marathon ahead of us.
What to do? Because of fair use, this is the other part of the article that I want to post.
Mindfulness —essentially, the art of shifting attention — is revolutionizing mental health care. Current research in mental health demonstrates enormous benefits to mindfulness practice. In order to promote well being, we can learn to practice mindful attention both to the present moment and to the good as we understand it. Faced with a frequently depressing, maddening world, this can mean focusing intently on the inspiring work going on around us in a multitude of spheres. Each time you feel hopelessness creep in, focus your attention on the kindness, generosity, and good will around you. We are witnessing an unprecedented blossoming of activism. If our eyes are tuned to the light, we will find the light — in the surge of donations to ACLU, in churches offering sanctuary to immigrants, in town hall meetings packed with civically engaged citizens — everywhere.
I encourage everyone to go read the full article. I know I’m not the only one deeply impacted by this election and the insanity that is occurring.
Blessings.