Life in the Smaller Picture: Joy is Resistance

Today's political climate is a hot button topic for many people. Whereas it was considered taboo to discuss political views before, that seems to be changing as well. Various new spaces are being labeled political, like dinner tables, work cultures, and therapy; thus it is much more front and center. With such impactful government movement and emotional evocation present, it is at its most polarizing. 

Many people are carrying a kind of fatigue that seems to come from more than one clear source. It is no longer simply work, relationship, finances, or health strain. It can be seen in the constant backdrop of rapidly changing societal norms and conflicting information. Sadly, the emotional labor of managing relationships with people who might hold fundamentally different beliefs is incredibly debilitating. It’s become a daily check in with ourselves, of how we protect ourselves, how we care for others, and how we can participate in our communities. 

In the therapy room, I’ve noticed many conversations have shifted beyond coping with anxiety, or stress. Instead, people are debating much larger questions concerning identity, religion, belonging, and purpose. So many people are trying to figure out what feels authentic to them in a world with such judgement and blame. 

One of the most significant psychological challenges we’ve seen since 2020, described in a Pew Research Study is the political stress response and decision fatigue. Decisions about where we spend our money, who we spend time with, and how engaged we stay in the information cycle can all feel emotionally loaded. When the world around us feels so unpredictable, our nervous systems search for something stable to hold onto. Certainty tends to conserve energy where uncertainty puts our brains on high alert for threats. This prolonged feeling continuously asks our bodies to look out for potential risks and reassess priorities; those are the choices which are causing such exhaustion. 

I'm going to introduce grounding in a different way. Grounding is often a buzz word that people associate just with breathing and meditation exercises; however it can be much more. At more of its core, grounding is all about reconnecting with what is true and within your immediate control. What we’re looking for here is help shifting out of that risk assessment and double-guessing state of mind; finding ways to release our nervous system from remaining constantly active. When our nervous system is activated, it makes it harder to think clearly, regulate our emotions, or respond intentionally. Grounding is good practice for interrupting that cycle. 

We can begin by directing our attention towards the present moment. This might look like revisiting familiar routines, investing in meaningful friendships or intimate relationships, touching dirt, moving our bodies, or simply letting in a moment of silence. We must challenge the expectation that we will have it all figured out or that we need to solve all the problems today. 

Resting is also a must. We cannot solve the world's problems without proper sleep. I'm not inviting you to ignore all the issues, and there are, without a doubt, measures that could be protecting you that you could take. Rest is about ensuring society does not completely disconnect you from yourself. And maybe yourself likes to paint, or garden, or go on hikes. Allowing ourselves to have these pleasures is another way we stay grounded. The subtitle for this piece, Joy is Resistance, is about just that. Periods of significant social change often require a different way of living than periods of stability. Many of the assumptions that previous generations relied upon no longer feel universal. Relationships are evolving. Ideas about success, family, work, and identity continue to shift. 

As therapists, we often encourage clients to view these moments as opportunities for greater intentionality and rebalancing. We want to be asking ourselves: What aligns with the person I want to be? Our values, if known, have the opportunity to be consistent despite the world’s inconsistency. The power can then shift to the individual because we can allow our values to be our internal compass. The question then becomes do I know my values? Values differ from opinions or beliefs. Opinions often change with gathering new information. Yet, values tend to be representative of the enduring qualities we possess or look for in others such as compassion, curiosity, justice, connection, family, education, etc. When decisions become complicated, our values become our framework. 

Nobody wants to make choices based on fear, social pressure, or a desire to avoid conflict. Yet that is what we can identify as the reason navigating this climate is so taxing. Our motivations are misaligned with our values. This doesn't mean every decision becomes easy. It simply means that our decisions become more coherent. Living in alignment with our values often creates a greater sense of psychological stability, even when external circumstances remain uncertain. 

Joy! Redefining what joy looks like seems to be a social movement I can get behind. It is okay that what used to bring us joy now seems overstimulating or lonely. Discovering fulfillment in different hobbies is a super power. The power of adaptation. Many people are naturally seeking experiences that create calm rather than excitement. It also may mean avoiding certain environments that tend to create discourse. Joy becomes less about following a cultural script and more about cultivating experiences that genuinely restore your emotional well-being. 

Resilience is often portrayed as pushing through hardship or remaining positive despite adversity. In reality, resilience is frequently much quieter than that. It is the ability to pause, recalibrate, and choose a response that aligns with who you want to be rather than reacting from fear or overwhelm. Just writing about resilience I can feel how difficult that ask to pause and recalibrate truly is. That is why it is so incredibly important to rest well and give permission to walk away and come back. 

The sheer patience that is involved with being grounded is expansive. Energy and wellbeing are prioritized above all else, because without them, grounding, joy, resistance, and intentionality become near impossible. When we learn to ground ourselves, reconnect with our values, and make room for forms of joy that genuinely fit who we are today, we begin creating stability from the inside out. 

Gottfried, J. (2020, February 26). Americans’ news fatigue isn’t going away – about two-thirds still feel worn out. The Pew Reacher Center.