A guide for sanity in a time of chaos
(The one with my favorite resources)
I keep getting the same question at work: “How are you handling everything?”
(Sidebar for those of you who don’t know me IRL: My day job is advocating for public higher education.)
The answer is, “Not great.” I’m upset about everything that is transpiring in the United States and how it’s targeting our most vulnerable and I’m angry for all my friends who have dedicated their careers to serving in the public sector and I’m terrified about the erosion of our democratic systems.
I can hear you now: Gina, you said this would help us feel calmer…this feels alarming.
The truth is that it IS ALARMING. But if we allow ourselves to feel powerless, we won’t have the energy to help the people who need help right now. It’s more important than ever to prioritize things that fill your cup.
So, here’s how I cope with the chaos:
I set boundaries about how and when I watch the news
I do not doom scroll on my phone after work hours
I fully unplug on nights and weekends
I spend time outdoors and with my friends and family
I read for pleasure
And I am very diligent about which news resources I trust and search for sources that aren’t designed to spike my cortisol. Below are a couple that I highly recommend:
NPR’s UpFirst podcast: a daily ten-minute show with the top three stories in the news. Unbiased and succinct. It helps me not miss the big picture.
Jessica Yellin’s Calm News podcast: this is updated periodically, but I love how well-sourced Jessica is and that she delivers the news is a way that is understandable and importantly, gives suggestions for how listeners can take action if they feel compelled.
Politico Playbook: this might be too inside-baseball for most people, but they have their ear to Congress and the White House better than any other DC-based source.
What are some sources you trust? And how are you staying sane in these trying times? I’d love to hear.
What I’m Reading
Y'all, Sue Hincenberg’s The Retirement Plan, is SO MUCH FUN. I have a feeling that it will make a big splash when it comes out on May 6, 2025. It has a great combination of humor, twists, double crosses, and men who get the job done.
Four women have been friends for thirty years and dream of a great retirement together. But those dreams were dashed when their husbands made a bad investment and lost all their money several years ago. When one of their husbands dies in an accident, his widow winds up with an unexpected payout of $1 million from a life insurance policy--it seems all their husbands took out policies and the women stand to have a big payoff if they die. So, naturally, they turn to planning the remaining three husbands' murders so they can join their BFF in Boca Raton and live out their Golden Girls dreams. (They all want to be Blanche. No one wants to be Sophia). Unfortunately, the husbands have their own secret retirement scheme and worried that their buddy's death might not have been an accident.
I don't want to give away any more of this darkly hilarious, twisty story. Read it and let me know what you think!
What I’m Eating
I wish I could say that I wasn’t stress eating, but I’d be a liar. (I also stress exercise so I’m hoping they cancel each other out??) One treat I’ve been enjoying are these mint chocolate chip ice cream cookies from Trader Joe’s. You’re welcome/I’m sorry.
I usually go for the TJ's dark chocolate peanut butter cups, but you've convinced me I NEED those ice cream sandwiches in my life.
Glad you're able to set some boundaries during this intense time, friend. Jessica Yellin is great. As are those TJ's ice cream sandwiches!