Well, that escalated quickly
“Well that escalated quickly, really that got out of hand fast.”
I could talk about bingo cards and outrage. About the illegality and impracticality of it all.
I could wax eloquent about how this is just like when George H.W. Bush went into Panama and deposed Manuel Noriega, or how the action of trying to take other country’s oil looks a lot like either/both of the Gulf Wars (Bush 1 and Bush 2).
But you know what? If you want a history lesson, you can find information on all the “precedents” for what is going on right now pretty easily online.
Some of the history has been noted by major news outlets; other history is being discussed by content producers such as V Spehar at Under the Desk News (I love V) and Aaron Parnas at The Parnas Perspective. (You can find both of them on TikTok, Instagram and Threads. Possibly Twitter/X as well, but I no longer go there so I don’t know.)
Instead, I wanna talk about your nervous system
What?
You were expecting something sexier/sassier?
Here’s the thing.
You have to get your own self under control, and that is going to require you to step away from the outrage that is sweeping the world right now (even though that outrage is entirely merited). You have to shake off any despair that is settling in, get yourself centered, and do your best to stay unbothered and hopeful.
Don’t let outrage and despair win.
Outrage and despair are two of the most dominant viruses being passed around right now. I say that because both are contagious and the more you bump up against them, the more likely you are to “catch” them. The outrage burns hot and fast and can be absolutely exhausting. Despair sets in once you are in a vulnerable mental state (such as that exhaustion I just mentioned), and then keeps you from acting/reacting in ways that are helpful to yourself and others.
However, if you are able to unplug from the outrage machines (the news, social media, circular conversations with like-minded people or pointless arguments with folks who think what’s happening is great), then you can preserve some of your own peace of mind.
With that peace of mind, you can assess things more rationally, and take the sorts of actions that might actually be useful right now. Those include calling your representatives to express dismay (or even outrage!) and taking care of yourself and those around you. You can act from a place of being personally unbothered (lower blood pressure, less problems with sleep, etc.), and still be hopeful that things can be worked out.
I am 100% not advising you to bury your head in the sand. Yes, the invasion of Venezuela appears to be more about oil than about Maduro; but also, it may mean that the current US regime plans on sending “undesirable” people there. You need to know what is going on, what it means or might mean, but you need to not spend too much of your time spinning about it.
If you become upset or sick over it to the point of despair, at which point action becomes so so hard you might not be able to say or do anything, does that help? No, my friend. No it does not.
So by all means, keep abreast of what’s going on in the world. Check into the historical precedent for it (both in the US and elsewhere). Call your representatives. Attend a protest, if that’s your thing and you can safely do it.
But get your physical nervous system back under control and in shape, because if you let yourself be swamped by this administration, then they have won. Don’t let the bastards grind you down.
Some ways to help your nervous system
Here’s a prior post of mine entitled When the world is loud and feels unsafe, which might be a good place to start.
Plus I have a bunch of resources in the ideas below (follow any link that appeals to you!) or snag yourself a copy of my e-book Lower Your Anxiety here. I even marked the price down for you!
Sing, or chant. Turns out that the vagus nerve passes right next to your voice box, so when you activate your voice, you calm your nervous system. This is probably also true in part because singing requires you to breathe deeply and properly, which adds more oxygen into your system. It’s even better when you sing with others, since that builds community. Read a bit more about that here.
If you are holding a lot of tension in your body (aren’t we all?), take time to stretch and also to breathe. Try one of these breathing techniques or use this 5-4-3-2-1 mindfulness exercise to help you ground yourself and release stress.
Get up and move around. Maybe that means some form of exercise, which is great for releasing stress and reducing anxiety. Maybe it means getting outside, where nature can help you calm down and heal. Or maybe it means decluttering your closet or cleaning the bathroom. You do you, boo.
Nurture yourself. At a basic level, this can mean feeding your body the things that nourish and/or comfort you. It also means nourishing your mind with things that are good for it, like art or music or reading or meditation. This means making sure you stay hydrated and get some sleep, too.
Allow yourself to do the things that you need to do in order to succeed. Maybe that is creating something (art, baked goods, music, writing, a large pot of spaghetti sauce, an afghan, a quilt, a new shed). Maybe it is taking care of business: from laundry at home to meeting a deadline at work to making offers if you are an entrepreneur. All of these things help restore your emotional reserves, so that you can help yourself and others. This CNN article that came about the war in Ukraine a while back offers succinct help.
Consider using tools such as Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT or tapping) to release anxiety. Or try “butterfly tapping”, where you cross your arms with your hands on your own chest and fingers near your collar bones or shoulders. Then you simply tap one side, then the other. It is cross-body motion that helps to regulate an excited nervous system.
I really hope that the ship begins to right itself and sail back towards democracy sometime soon. In the meantime, please take care of yourself. And if you think coaching with me might help you, get in touch!