Pace yourself, Stand up for science protests this Fri, Miso maple sheetpan chicken with brussels, 1 sweet TV comedy + 2 good books on burnout
Resisting Musky Rump's madness will be a marathon, not a sprint so we gotta pace ourselves to make it to the finish line.
When Trump took office in 2020, I started a site called Daily Acts of Resistance where I posted—you guessed it!—an action a day to help keep Trump at bay.
I was also working full time for an environmental advocacy organization, serving on the executive committee of the school board during the depths of COVID, and raising two kids. It was a lot and I ended up feeling deeply burned out.
When it became apparent that Trump 2.0 would be our reality for the next four years, I decided that while I fully intended and, in fact, needed to be part of the resistance, it was essential for me to approach it differently—and more sustainably—this time around.
The resistance is a marathon, not a sprint; we have to pace ourselves in order to make it to the finish line.
I started this Substack to provide simple ways that people like you and me can protect our democracy and create the connective tissue needed to strengthen our individual communities and our larger community enough to survive Trump’s tyranny so that we can build a country that will not elect any more dicks dictators. But since I know from experience that resisting all the time can be incredibly draining, my goal is to also help you keep yourself fed—in both body and spirit—at the same time. How? By sharing good news, recipes for delicious, nourishing food, reminders to take breaks, recommendations for great TV shows, movies, and books to allow you to escape for a bit to catch your breath, and other good ways to take care of yourself (turns out that breathing regularly is key!) and generally keep the flame burning.
I’m not much of a runner but I often go for a three mile run-walk near my house. During these outings, I run until I get winded (which happens quickly), then I walk for a couple minutes until I’ve caught my breath, then I run again briefly before walking up the remainder of a long steep hill, then I run downhill the rest of the way home. I could probably run the whole three-mile loop but it would be so painfully miserable that there’s a very good chance I’d never be able to bring myself to run it again. So, instead, I just do what I can and I’m always happy that I got out there and got my blood moving and my heart pumping.
The run-walk is a good metaphor for the next four years. It absolutely does not matter if one runs the whole way, what matters is that we keep moving forward at whatever speed we can manage at any given time and that we get there in the end.
This looks different for everyone so please always feel free to take or leave anything I share here. And I would love to know what helps keep you feeling alive and motivated if you care to leave a comment.
HOPEFUL
Given the deepending sh*tshow, I find it helpful to focus on the positives. The resistance is growing even if not all that many mainstream news outlets have the guts to make it front page news.
Tesla’s stock has dropped and sales have dipped significantly in other countries.
Trump’s approval ratings have dropped. I predict that when his tariffs raise prices on every day good hugely, they will totally tank.
Ukrainian President Zelensky stood up to Trump (albeit with disastrous results but it’s unlikely that Trump would ever deal fairly with him anyway so maybe good for him?) and other foreign leaders are correcting him to his face (more is needed.)
Canadian President Trudeau delivered a speech slamming Trump’s insane tariffs and blasting him for siding with Putin.
There are protests at Tesla dealerships all over the country.
Last weekend, tons of people gathered in our national parks to protest the firing of so many park rangers.
If you, like me, were curious about the impacts of the Economic Blackout, here’s some data. I feel it points to the need to do longer term boycotts, particularly of Amazon.com. How about we pick a day to cancel Amazon Prime memberships en masse? I propose July 4, if not sooner.
ACTION
Join a Stand Up For Science protest this Friday! These are happening in Washington, DC as well as nationwide. Click here to find a protest near you.
Want to do more? The Albert Einstein Institution (AEI) has outlined a whopping 198 types of nonviolent protest available to all of us to resist tyranny. Take a look and pick one to do this week. I’m particularly drawn to these three as I feel like there’s a huge need for wit and humor in the resistance movement: Humorous skits and pranks, Performances of plays and music, and Singing! Hat tip to my friend and former co-worker, Michael Shank for his piece on this.
HELPFUL
If you’re looking for a good escape, try the sweet TV comedy, A Man On The Inside starring Ted Danson on Netflix (just one season). Although it’s not quite as good as The Good Place, it’s got similar vibes, no doubt due to the fact that it was also created by Michael Shur. And if you’ve never watched The Good Place, you must!
Although I very much hope that you are not dealing with burnout, if you are, I found these two books helpful in dealing with my own:
Burnout by
and Amelia Nagoski52 Weeks to a Sweeter Life for Caregivers, Activists and Helping Professionals by Farzana Doctor
RECIPE
Last but definitely not least, I will leave you with a gift link to this fantastic and very easy NY Times recipe for miso maple sheetpan chicken with brussels sprouts and potatoes (I added the taters and highly recommend it. Just dice them and toss with everything else when roasting.) I made it last week and it was a HUGE hit with the whole family and also pretty darn quick both to prep and also to clean up from.
