The results of the recent US elections represent a massive blow to the future of our planet. The fight for equality and all forms of social justice have also suffered a huge setback. So, what do we do now?
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(image source: [Lucas Favre via Unsplash] (https://unsplash.com/@we_are_rising) )
I outlined the mission and values of Check Your Thread in the following episode:
--- [Ep. #71: Making Personal Manifestos with Kim Witten] (https://checkyourthread.com/podcast/71-making-personal-manifestos-with-kim-witten/)
Episode transcript:
So at time of recording it’s been about a week since hearing the news of the results of the US election. How are you feeling? If you were happy with the result, you’ve basically helped press fast forward on the climate crisis and this episode is not aimed at you. If you’re feeling devastated, awful, numb, broken or disappointed, and you need some help working through it, please stick around. I want to share with you MY response to the question ‘What do we do now?’
Today’s episode is not the usual type of CYT episode. There’s no intro, no upbeat music, no sustainability wins or fails. I’m getting straight to business. If this happens to be your first time listening to this podcast, I obviously hope you get something from this episode, because otherwise I wouldn’t be bothering making it. But please know that you need to listen to some of the others to actually get a flavour of what we’re about.
So what IS this about. This is basically the episode that I need to hear right now. I have a voice and a platform, not big ones, but I do have them so I want to use them to support anyone feeling like I do right now.
Like probably the majority of CYT heads, but certainly not all, I am absolutely devastated about the results of the US election. For so many reasons. I am utterly terrified for what it means for the planet and basically everything and everyone that lives on it. At the very point in history when we could use empathy and a broader consideration for the world and its people more than ever before, the opposite happened. It was a win for hatred, intolerance, rascism, climate denial, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, xenophobia, islamophobia.
It was a loss for anyone who isn’t pale, male, stale and wealthy, but also really anyone or anything living on this planet, even if they don’t realise it yet.
If you’re in the US, my heart goes out to you because you’ll feel the effects more immediately, of course. But we all will be suffering the repercussions in some form, before long. From the racist misogynists in your town feeling newly emboldened to spout their vile beliefs with impunity, to the inevitable speeding up of climate change thanks to more support given to fossil fuel extraction.
If you’re heartbroken and terrified like me, I know you know that you’re not alone. If you’re currently feeling like you want to hide under a blanket and do nothing, please know that there’s no rush to feel anything else.
But personally, I’m coming out of that phase, and I’m feeling a different energy now. And I’ve definitely seen others with this same, eff-it all, the gloves are off evergy too. That energy, all energy, is powerful and I want to harness and direct it somewhere useful.
So I’ve started by going back to my vision and values, the ones that I outlined in episode 71. They inform every action I take.
My vision is this:
A world where the impact on the environment is factored into every decision.
Well, clearly we can no longer hope for help on the governmental and big business scale, in the US at least.
And my values are:
---Limiting my contribution to climate change where possible
---Understanding and acting under the assumption that The Personal is Political
---Helping to redress income inequality
---Helping to redress racial inequality
---Helping to redress homophobia
---Promoting feminist thinking
---Creating joy
---Finding a balance between living as sustainably as possible, and having a happy, fulfilling life.
It certainly feels like all of these values have been utterly stamped on by the election results. But I refuse to give them up. Whilst there is a child left breathing on this earth I am not going to give up on these values. I promise you.
Please remember, the government, corporations and big business are not everything and do not hold all the power, although they’d like to think they do. We have so much power and freedom to act OUTSIDE of the ballot box. There is SO MUCH we CAN do, every single day with every decision we make and every action we take.
Everything we do, everything we are seen to be doing, has power. You might feel hopeless and that you can’t affect change, but I promise you, you have agency. And if we all get laser focused on the world we want to live in, and make moves to create it, every single day, we WILL effect positive change. We WILL get to a more just, more inclusive society and we WILL start to mitigate some of the effects of the climate crisis.
So, with my vision and values as my guide, here’s what I propose we do now. I’ve been inspired by a podcast I like to listen to that always releases an episode on fridays full of affirmations. I’ve basically nicked that idea for this. Obviously, not everyone is in the position to do everything, and some actions will be more applicable to you and your circumstances than others. So please pay attention to the ones that resonate with you. You can repeat them note them down, stick them on a post it, tell your friends and loved ones, whatever you need to do to keep them with you and help you enact them in your life.
So here’s what we do now. We fight. We don’t throw our toys out the pram. We WILL fight for a more just, more inclusive world with regeneration at the core of our activities.
We don’t have to feel love for all humans. Arguably, a lot of them do not deserve it. But a lot of them do. We will fight by focusing our energies on those that need us, and the planet that we all share.
How do we fight? We fight with our actions and our resources.
We will actively move to strengthen our local communities. If we don’t know our neighbours, we will start by smiling at them and saying hi. To those who we already smile at and say hi to, we will stop and chat to. To those who we stop and chat to, we will take steps to further those connections in whatever way feels do-able. We will offer to help and share resources with our neighbours, and we will not be embarrassed to ask for help when we need it in return.
We connect with organisations, groups and endeavours in our local area that are doing good things in areas that are important to us. We contribute our time and skills if we are able. Maybe that’s volunteering at a local food bank or offering up our skills to a local repair cafe. Perhaps it’s joining a local march or protest. We can do alot on our own, but if we can plug into existing set-ups, then we can make bigger waves more quickly.
We check in with our friends and relatives regularly. Whether we live close by or far away. Isolation is dangerous, so we will keep connected.
We look after our bodies. We can’t fight to the best of our ability if we’re not healthy, and increasingly we can’t rely on the health systems in our respective countries. We try to eat a balanced diet, be aware of our nutrition. We get fresh air and move our bodies regularly. We know this is not optional. We prioritise sleep, because that is when we heal. We will stop sacrificing sleep to look at our phones, to watch more TV, even to sew a few more seams. Even when sleep is a struggle, we will give our bodies the opportunity to sleep.
We prioritise rest. Rest is not optional. Rest is essential. We work from a place of rest, not rest from our work. We will schedule time to rest into our calendars, if need be. No more pushing rest to the bottom of the to do list.
We keep a check on our mental health. We keep an eye on our emotional state, we notice when things are starting to feel too overwhelming or out of balance. And we take action and seek support BEFORE things tip too far.
We regularly engage in things that nourish our soul. We read great books, we laugh at comedy, we fill our ears with awesome music and entertaining podcasts. We explore different pieces of culture to help us expand the range of things we can turn to when we need to feel joy.
We get outside and connect with nature. That might involve digging in our yard, or planting herbs in a window box. It might mean a walk in the park or a camping trip. We notice and reflect on the changing seasons, and the way that looks where we live.
We make things with our hands. We engage with the crafts we love, making things we’re proud of. And we stop to appreciate them and our developing skills before starting another project.
We make our homes comfortable, pleasant places. We are thoughtful stewards of our space and our belongings. We prevent food waste. We prioritise local and seasonal foods when possible. We remove items that we no longer use or don’t serve us, and we get them into the hands of others who will use and enjoy them.
We keep our belongings in use for as long as we can. We mend them or get them mended where possible. We don’t upgrade our phones just because our phone contract tries to sell us on that new-phone feeling. And we extend that approach to every belonging we have. We replace or upgrade only when necessary. And we unfollow or unsubscribe from any person or business that makes us feel that buying a new thing is the key to being happy.
We accept responsibility for the resources we consume, and act accordingly. We acknowledge that physical items have a cost beyond their monetary value. We think carefully before bringing items into our home, or into the homes of others when we give people gifts. We understand that petroleum based products will remain on this planet for some form for millenia, and will break down and poison the planet as they degrade.
We reduce, refuse, reuse, refill and recycle wherever possible.
When celebrations and gift-giving seasons draw near, we consider alternatives to physical gifts.
When we have decided to purchase a physical item, we are careful about where and with whom we spend our money. We prioritise quality and longevity. We explore if the item could be acquired second hand. We support small, local and independent businesses over large chains when at all possible. We NEVER shop with Amazon, Temu, Shein etc.
We move our money and investments to banks that do not fund fossil fuels. We switch our energy providers to those that invest in renewable energy. We understand that the fossil fuel industry is about to get a boat load of additional governmental support, so we encourage everyone we know to not give the our business.
We are mindful of how we move around our world. We walk, bike or take the bus or train if possible rather than driving in a car, particularly if we are making the journey alone. We question our need to fly, and the frequency of flights we take.
We engage with social media in a way that feels joyful and enlivening, and doesn’t distract us or detract from our off screen lives and relationships, or our mental health.
We give genuine compliments to others as often as we can, preferably on qualities or achievements that aren’t related to their physical appearance. We tell people we admire them, respect them and are inspired by them when it’s true. We applaud them for their positive actions and efforts.
We tell the people we love that we love them, as often as we possibly can.
Thank you for listening. I hope this has helped you feel brighter and more positive. Remember you have power and agency and I believe that you can use them to push things forward.
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