Caring for Self During Global Crisis
It has been a really painful week for the world. When global atrocities occur, we can feel the need to witness and consume as a way to feel informed and to honor those being affected by violence. This can also be deeply traumatizing. In order to enact change, you need to be able to care for yourself while witnessing suffering.
Strategies for caring for yourself:
Limit your consumption of news and social media
As humans, we are not built to witness and hold the pain of the entire world. It is so important to be informed and to care about your fellow human and there is only so much one person can hold. I encourage you to be mindful of how much suffering you’re consuming - whether that’s through setting timers or limiting your attention to certain trusted news outlets or certain times of the day.
Continue engaging in the activities that keep you stable
The amount that we are witnessing global suffering and engaging in activism needs to be matched with the amount we are caring for ourself. If you’re completely burnt out and ill from stress, you are not going to be that effective in enacting change. Supporting yourself allows space to support others.
Do something that is in your power and feels sustainable
We can feel really hopeless and helpless when we witness the extremes of human suffering and violence. What is in your control? Engaging in something that is within your level of control can help to give you somewhere to put your anger, sadness, grief, etc. This can look like donating, contacting political leaders, protest, volunteering, mutual aid, and many more. It can be helpful to find ways to be sustainably continuing to engage in causes, instead of focusing on reacting to extreme events (although during extreme moments, quick reaction may be necessary).
Find ways to express yourself
Find someone you can talk to when you are feeling overwhelmed. This can be a friend, family member, like-minded community, or professional. Expressing yourself through art, movement, writing, or some other way can help to balance the gap between how much you’re taking in versus how much you’re putting out. It can also feel validating to engage in art speaking about causes you care for.
There can be community support and awareness spreading through social media, but we can also find ourselves engaging in fruitless arguments, engaging in inaccurate information, and finding ourselves trapped in echo chambers that perpetuate suffering with limited ability to enact change.
This list is by no means comprehensive. It also only speaks to people who are not directly impacted by global crisis. My heart goes out to those impacted by war, those whom are grieving loved ones, and those who continue to face uncertainty regarding their safety.
As always, take what is helpful and leave the rest. I hope you have the week you need.
