By Cynthia de Lorenzi, co-founder, Empowered Together Network

1. Acknowledge and Validate Emotions

• Accept your Feelings: It’s normal to feel a range of emotions, from anger and fear to sadness. Encouraging participants to acknowledge these emotions without judgment can provide relief.
• Group Share: Allow space for participants to voice their concerns. Sometimes, just articulating fears can make them feel more manageable.
• Boost your Mindfulness Practice: Introduce grounding exercises, like mindful breathing or progressive muscle relaxation, to help manage anxiety in the moment.

2. Stay Informed (Without Becoming Overwhelmed)

• Carefully Curate your News Sources: Limit your news intake to only include trusted sources and avoid misinformation so you can avoid emotional overload.
• Set Boundaries: Limit time on social media or news apps to specific intervals. As you know, continuous exposure can increase stress and negativity.
• Focus on Facts and Actions: Stay informed about tangible steps they can take within their communities to create positive change. Being part of the Empowered Together Network is a great step!

3. Connect with Community

• Join Local Groups: Connect with like-minded individuals, online or in person, who share your values and concerns. Many find strength in numbers.
• Step up participation in your support networks: Become more active in advocacy groups and community organizations that focus on causes you care about (e.g., social justice, environmental issues, or human rights).
• Be Proactive Together: Organize a community event, such as a letter-writing campaign or a fundraiser for a cause they care about. Feeling active can reduce a sense of helplessness.

4. Prioritize Self-Care

• Routine and Health: Maintain basic self-care, including healthy meals, exercise, sufficient sleep, and relaxation.
• Creative Expression: Journal, make art, music, or any creative outlet that helps you express yourself constructively.
• Focus on Positives: Engage in gratitude journaling or daily affirmations to maintain balance and resilience.

5. Channel Fear into Constructive Action

• Political Engagement: Get involved in local politics, write letters to representatives, and participate in peaceful advocacy. In the Empowered Together Network, you’ll meet leaders in the advocacy and nonprofit world who need your help!
• Community Support: Build supportive networks, volunteer in their neighborhoods, and create safe spaces for open discussions.
• Empowerment Through Education: Understand your rights! This can help alleviate some fears and give people the confidence to act.

6. Seek Professional Help if Needed

• Therapy Resources: If you are experiencing severe anxiety or distress, please consider professional counseling or therapy, especially if it begins to impact daily functioning. Several Empowered Together Members are therapists, and we will be happy to connect you.
• Helplines and Support Networks: Stay tuned for contact information for mental health resources, crisis hotlines, and support groups that can offer immediate help.

7. Look to Positive Change and Resilience

• Reframe the Narrative: Like all stressful and complicated situations — this too shall pass. Instead of spending your precious energy worrying, consider using this period as an opportunity for growth, learning, and active civic engagement.
• Highlight Historical Resilience: Many social movements have faced setbacks, but have continued to make positive changes over time. Remember the Suffragists! Again, we will prevail!
• Focus on Long-Term Vision: Shift focus from immediate concerns to the longer arc of justice, compassion, and progress.

8. Words of Comfort and Affirmation

• I am not alone. Millions of people share my vision of compassion, respect, and inclusion.
• Resilience isn’t about not feeling fear or sadness; it’s about recognizing those feelings and continuing to live with hope and action.
• While change can be unsettling, it also brings people together in ways we could never predict. Together, we are strong.
• In times of difficulty, slow down, take a breath, and remember your power, both as an individual and as part of a community.