Resist, Rest, Repeat: Self-Care for Political Resilience and Action
Overwhelmed by the hostile takeover of the U.S. government? You’re not alone.
The speed and destructiveness of executive orders and institutional dismantling can feel frightening — and that’s no accident. Autocrats purposely create chaos, stirring fear, anger, grief, and numbness to wear us down and isolate us from one another. Their goal? A quiet, submissive population.
And yet — even under this pressure — the resistance is growing.
On April 5, more than 5.2 million people participated in the first HANDS OFF! demonstrations across the nation, from small towns to big cities. We are not powerless. We are connecting, growing a strong resistance movement as we act together to stop the power grab — as we restore and reimagine our democracy.
Why Chaos Feels So Personal — And So Exhausting
For many people, current events don’t just stir frustration — they stir trauma. If you’re in a targeted group, live with ongoing stress or have experienced past trauma, these constant waves of crises can be overwhelming. When big emotions stir you up or shut you down, your body is warning you of potential danger and prompting you to take care of yourself and your community.
That’s why tending to your heart, mind, and nervous system isn’t optional — it’s essential.
Self-Care Is an Act of Resistance
Rest is resistance. Joy is resistance. Connection is resistance.
Many voices keep reminding us: self-care isn’t selfish — it’s a vital part of how we stay in the work for justice, change, and healing. Self-care is a necessary and basic building block for creating and sustaining a strong community.
Here are 11 doable practices to help you care for yourself, stay grounded, and build resilience — not just for today, but for the long haul.
11 Small Acts of Resistance to Care for Your Heart & Mind
1. Relationships that Heal: A Key to Easing Political Anxiety
Whether you talk to a close friend, spend time with a pet, or commune with nature — relationships are essential. We humans are relational animals; connecting with others, including the natural world, supports balance in our nervous systems. Meaningful relationships signal safety, release feel-good chemicals, and improve our overall well-being, reminding us we’re not alone.
Reaching out to each other — whether expressing your own needs or responding to someone else’s needs — is the basis of our survival. That’s how we build a society in which mutual aid is as much a verb as a noun.
2. When You’re Feeling Alone: Give Yourself a Hug
Place one hand on the opposite shoulder and the other under your arm. Apply firm, kind pressure. Pressure on joints and bones brings your focus to your body, quieting the mind. This simple technique can calm your nervous system and help you feel centered.
If you're in public, try pressing your hands into your thighs or your feet into the floor for a similar grounding effect.
3. Take a Few Breaths: Interrupt Old Patterns
Do you find yourself hurrying when you don’t really need to? Or spacing out when it’s not helpful to do so? Stop— take a few breaths. Breathe in for a count of four, hold for four, and exhale slowly for eight. Gift yourself with some more oxygen— your body needs it, especially in stressful moments. Notice how you feel. Each time you interrupt an old pattern that no longer serves you, you’re strengthening a new one, building your capacity for self-care.
4. Write It Out: Journaling to Reduce Overwhelm
Set a timer for 20 minutes. Write without editing or censoring yourself; no one else has to see what you write, and you don’t have to reread it.
Plan to do this at a regular time of day. That way, when you feel overwhelmed, you can let your feelings know, “It’s okay. I’ll write it out later (and name the time).”
Writing releases built-up thoughts and lessens emotional intensity, creating greater clarity and ease afterward. Handwriting adds a physical, calming element to the process.
5. Step Outside: Connecting with Nature to Ground Yourself
Even a few minutes outdoors can shift your energy.
Place your feet directly on the earth — or imagine it. Soak up the energy from below. Hug a tree, connect with its deep roots, intertwined with the roots of other trees in its family system. Notice the sun or the wind on your body; listen for the sound of birds. Take time to enjoy what you feel. These moments remind us we are part of nature — individuals connected with all life.
6. Feeling versus Facts: Tending to Intense Anxiety
Ask yourself: Am I in danger now, and if so, what kind of danger?
Clarify your situation and act to take care of yourself. What do you need to do in the moment to prioritize your safety? Call a friend, leave a place, find support?
If you’re safe from harm yet still feel anxious, grounding techniques like deep breathing, pressing your hands into your thighs, or simply placing your hand over your heart can help you calm and reconnect with yourself.
Afterwards, you can seek out the kind of support you need, revisiting one of the ideas in the blog. If you’re seeking support from someone else, that may come from close friends who understand or from a process group you are part of. Emotional support may not be available from political action groups, which often focus on “what needs to be done” rather than how folks are feeling.
7. Decrease Sensory Stimulation — or Add Some: Meet Your Specific Needs
Some people feel overwhelmed by too much sensory input — bright lights, loud noise, crowded spaces, or constant stimulation at home. Others need more movement, sound, or activity to feel grounded and present in their bodies.
Notice what works for you — and give yourself permission to lean into it. That might mean spending an hour — or the day — quietly at home, or it might mean heading outside into the buzz of the world.
Knowing and honoring your unique needs is the basis of self-care.
8. Manage Your News Intake Without Numbing Out
Too much of a hard thing... is still too much.
Find writers and voices that inform without overwhelming you. Stay informed — and protect your energy. Take breaks. Log off. Do something to get grounded again.
You can build capacity and strengthen yourself at the same time, practicing being like a willow tree — rooted and bending, not breaking.
9. Get Involved — In a Way That Works for You
No one can do it all. And that’s okay.
Consider taking small daily actions to resist fascism. Write a letter to the editor or a congressperson. Join a phone bank to get out the vote. Attend a demonstration. Encourage a friend to do something. Each action builds upon previous ones, growing your capacity for relationship and making even bigger actions possible.
Here are some great places to start:
Chop Wood Carry Water — Jessica Craven’s online newsletter offers daily small actions you can take to fight authoritarianism (https://chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions.substack.com/),
5calls.org — Easy call scripts for contacting your representatives
Indivisible, 50501, MoveOn, Working Families Party, Red Wine and Blue, and others offer community, strategy, and tools.
10. Celebrate the Small Wins (Yes, Even Now)
Did you show up for a friend? Share a powerful article? Interrupt your difficult mood with some deep breathing? Leave a situation that wasn’t good for you?
Celebrate what you did. Honor your needs, your intentions, and your actions— all of it matters.
Celebrate with some movement — shake your hips, wave your arms — or a smile. All release dopamine, creating a joyful moment.
11. Do More of What You Love
Humor, music, good conversation, a walk outside, watching something silly, resting — these things are medicine. Make a list of activities that support you — then, when you’re feeling stuck, you can look and see what worked in the past.
Pleasure, joy and serenity are not frivolous. They feed our bodies and our souls, giving us the energy and commitment to create the world we want to see.
Nourish Yourself So You Can Keep Showing Up
Think of the oxygen mask instructions on a plane: put yours on first.
Taking care of yourself doesn’t mean ignoring what’s happening in the world — it means ensuring you have the energy, clarity, and resilience to keep showing up for it, doing what you can when you can.
When you are resourced, you think more clearly. You act more effectively. You love more deeply. And you help create the world we want — one where we all take care of each other.
You Don’t Have to Do This Alone
If you’re feeling exhausted, anxious, or overwhelmed by the real challenges of the world — you’re not alone. Seeking support, whether through community or self-care, can make a difference.
If you need more personalized support, therapy can offer a space for grounding, healing, and figuring out what care looks like for you.
I’d love to support you. Reach out today for a free 20-minute consultation. Let’s talk about how therapy can support you in staying rooted, grounded and emotionally strong — even in difficult times.