Engaging optimism during challenging times
Opinion
Roseville, CA- Quite a year it's been. Just five months into 2020 and the U.S. has suffered 100,000+ deaths from a global pandemic, sky-high unemployment, civil unrest from a grave injustice and a bitter political divide that has filtered down to families and friends unlike anything many Americans have ever experienced. As each day seems to bring more bad news, people despair and find it increasingly difficult to see a way forward.
The realist feels burdened at times by the weight of seemingly insurmountable challenges, while the idealist pushes forward with optimism for better days. While we can't always control what happens, we do have much control over how we respond.
Strategies
Get Multiple Viewpoints
Intelligent people on all sides of an issue make compelling points. Listen and gain a little more understanding from someone who views the world differently than yourself. Disagreements may remain, but it adds a little humanity to the conversation.
Limit Negative News Intake
TV news broadcasts are psychological experiments aimed at directing and stirring your outrage. Turn off or limit your TV news intake and focus on more positive influences.
Ditch the Blame Game
Blame is spelled, B- Lame for good reason. Finger pointing remains a behavior that accomplishes nothing.
Educate Yourself
Own responsibility to educate yourself on issues that are important to you.
Get Involved
Donate some of your time to helping a marginalized group. You'll be improving your community while gaining a little empathy at the same time.
Vote
VOTE in every local, state and federal election. Hold officials accountable.
Affect Change
It's easy to become angry and frustrated when we see injustice combined with the failure of our political leaders, systems and institutions to meet our expectations. However, we should be thankful to live in a country and society where we have power to affect change. Get involved.