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Tawny Spriggs's avatar

Same, I switch from absolute rage & righteous indignation, to trying not to let it all drive me crazy, to “if I ignore it I'm complicit”. And then hopelessness, because I called all the people & sent the emails, they don't care, and I can't fathom how everyone doesn't see were heading for disaster.

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Sarah Hartley's avatar

I couldn't have said it better myself, Tawny.

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Jill Ganse's avatar

Same to every word, knowing we are collectively feeling grief, anxiety and rage makes me feel less alone. Great ideas for dealing with it all. ❤️

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Sarah Hartley's avatar

Thank you Jill. The world is tough right now. ❤️

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Samantha's avatar

ALL OF THIS

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Sarah Hartley's avatar

❤️❤️❤️

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Resist Idiocracy's avatar

Yep, exactly♥️

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Sarah Hartley's avatar

❤️❤️❤️

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Jacquelyn Kerr's avatar

Thank you for this post.🙏🏽❤️You have crystallized everything I’m feeling, all of the ways I’ve given my precious minutes of time and attention to all of the indescribably heartbreaking chaos around us. Every waking minute of every day since 1/20 has been a dumpster fire: I can’t seem to look away or stop obsessing about it. That secondhand grief you talk about is truly immobilizing, too. What to do? It’s impossible not to care, but the real conundrum is how to care effectively whilst also staying sane. Thank you for sharing what you’re doing. I’m going to also peruse the comments for other ideas for coping. Sending love to everyone here: We are the bastions who will—who MUST—stand up and hold the line for our Democracy. Anything else is currently untenable and far too hopeless to bear…❤️

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Sarah Hartley's avatar

I think that's what so many of us are trying to figure out - how can we stay informed, but also stay sane? It's SO hard right now when it's just a fire hose of terrible things happening every day.

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Janine Rivera's avatar

Yes! You explained exactly how I have been feeling. So overwhelmed and scared. What helps me is being a part of SURJ (Showing up for Racial Justice), a national organization that organizes white people for racial and economic justice, this gives me agency and a place to put my fear into action, I’ve also taken up learning the piano which I love, it gives me a creative outlet and lots of reading, watching my favorite Home shows on discovery +, and weaning myself off Amazon, relearning how to shop and live with less.

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Sarah Hartley's avatar

I love how you're taking care of yourself and making changes in the face of all of this!!!

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Maria Hanley's avatar

All of this. I'm right there with you, Calm app and all. It's a lot of emotional weight to carry, with no end in sight. You're not alone.

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Sarah Hartley's avatar

Thank you, Maria. I think it's the idea of there not being an end in sight that's so hard. Hang in there. <3

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Brittany Viklund's avatar

Right there with you. 💔

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Sarah Hartley's avatar

We're all in this together. <3

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Chris  Scherer's avatar

This resonates in a sadly comforting way. Strength and peace to us all. 💕

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Sarah Hartley's avatar

Sadly comforting is a great way to describe this feeling of not being alone but also being devastated.

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Megan's avatar

Thank you so much for this. The fog is SO REAL. I didn’t have a way to really describe it until reading your description and it’s perfect.

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Sarah Hartley's avatar

I’m so glad it helped, Megan. But also sad that you relate!

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Rachel G's avatar

“Secondhand grief.” This really resonates with a lot of what I’ve been experiencing lately. Thanks for sharing.

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Sarah Hartley's avatar

Thanks, Rachel. I’m sorry you’re also experiencing it, but I have a feeling many of us are.

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