Like many of you, I’m frustrated with so many things these days. I want to help make life better for me and for the people I care about. It’s hard to figure out how to do that when COVID is on the rampage and nefarious interests are seeking to whip up drama and intrigue.
One thing on many of our minds is the U.S. election and the likely tense weeks until the vote numbers are finalized. I thought I’d share a few thoughts about how to survive the next few weeks until the results of the election are officially certified.
1. VOTE – this election (at ALL LEVELS) is the most important U.S. election in decades. Vote absentee if possible (leaving a paper trail is a particularly good thing) and hand deliver it to an official drop location if you can . Vote before November 3 if possible in your state (avoid harassment or disruption at the polls). VOTE
2. GET OFF SOCIAL MEDIA – At least until November 10. Make sure Facebook is NOT your news source. We have repeatedly been warned by the FBI and other Intelligence agencies that nefarious actors, foreign and domestic, are manipulating the messaging, emotional triggers, and advertising on FaceBook, Instagram, Twitter, and other platforms. None of us need the drama and hype that FaceBook can feed. Double check your security and privacy settings – and GET OFF.
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Times are hard. I understand that for many of us, social media is our tie to the outside world. I’m suggesting, though, that right now, the power of social media to manipulate us and ignite stress and drama outweighs its benefits for meaningful connection. GET OFF.
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Make REAL human contact. While the presence of the pandemic means that many of us cannot be physically in the presence of those we love, technology has given us all kinds of tools for having a face to face visit over the Internet (FaceTime, Skype, Zoom, Google meetings, and MANY others). Call people you care about. Make time for REAL connection. Learn something new. Reach out to people you love. Talk about things that give you life.
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Which brings me to…
3. CHOOSE YOUR HUMAN CONTACTS WISELY. Now is not the time to be generous with time to the spirit vampires and drama tornadoes in our lives. Now is about togetherness, solidarity, and love. Make time for people who bring out the best in you, who help you to focus on what matters most. Spend time with people who help calm the drama rather than stir it up. Choose to spend time (communicating, sharing, writing, talking) with people who give you joy, who inspire hope, and encourage your best self. Reach out to people to whom you can bring joy and to those who bring joy to you.
4. BE SELECTIVE ABOUT YOUR NEWS SOURCES. One of the things that has disturbed me most about the last couple of years in the media is how easy it is for reporters of news to be easily distracted by the smoke screens and latest drama thrown in front of them. As responsible citizens, we need our news sources to provide us with credible information and clear context so we can make wise decisions about things that matter. We need our news sources to help us steer a steady course through the fireworks and smoke screens.
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Stick to trustworthy news sources that provide facts more than drama, science rather than intrigue, context rather than whiplash to the next shiny thing.
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Yes, do read and watch opinions from people you trust. Just make sure you know when you’re getting opinions and when you’re getting verifiable facts and helpful context. There are a number of outlets and voices that make it more and more difficult to know what’s real news, what’s “entertainment” and what’s hoopla funded by entities more interested in profit and power than in people and peace.
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A web site called Media Bias Fact Check is an excellent resource for assessing the general factual framework and ideological bias of any source you’re interested in. That way you know what you’re getting. For informed citizen decision-making, I strongly suggest seeking out news sources that are high or very high on factual reporting and close-ish to center on ideological bias. (NOTE: MBFC’s site search is really confusing. The best way I’ve seen to access it is to do a web search on your chosen news source name followed by “Media Bias Fact Check” included in the search. That’ll pop up the results page much more quickly and cleanly).
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5. STAY VIGILANT: These are going to be difficult weeks. As a country, we are battling the resurgence of COVID and we know we are the target of international disinformation, fear-mongering, and division tactics.
Make sure you know what you are taking into your mind and your heart.
6. BE LOVE, DO LOVE: Take care of yourself. Do what you can to make positive differences where you can. Silence the NOISE of disinformation and smoke screen drama. Read a favorite book. Feed the hungry. Make something. Cook something. Make love to your partner (or to yourself!). Do something kind.
When it comes down to it, we’re in this together.
Let’s remain indivisible.