In the last month or so, I’ve had moments where the doing the smallest thing was a challenge. After a long day of work, I watch a news story about some new terrible decision the Trump administration has made or another tragedy across the world. It can be easy to feel powerless and like there is no point. It is in these moments that I am working on getting my reps in to just do the damn thing. Time and time again I’ve been wiped out after a long day only to find the small push of energy to do something.
Starting with the Self
While I’ve distanced myself from modern Stoicism, one idea that I think is important is understanding what aspects of life are within and beyond my control. There are some days that the only control I feel I have is my own body and my immediate surroundings. Thus, it’s important to do what’s best for those things. Occasionally, even the simplest of tasks feels like too much, and I have to flip the “do the damn thing” switch to get myself functioning.
One of the best momentum makers I’ve found is to simply get some movement in the day. I’ve been getting back into running now that the weather is getting warmer, but even a short walk is all it takes sometimes. I tend to spend upwards of an hour after work winding down, but have gotten into the habit of still getting out and getting in quality exercise most days. Whether it’s a run, climb or a lifting session, something is usually on the agenda.
Hydration and diet are the next easy steps to sort out. With consistent lifting over the last few months and an overdue cut phase, I’m the heaviest I’ve been in a few years. Trying to lose weight isn’t the easiest, but the first step is to start in the kitchen. Having a few easy recipes ready to roll has helped me make slow and steady progress while still maintaining strength in the gym.
From beyond the body, one of the best practices I’ve been working on is to ensure that my day ends with a solid reset. This involves getting my apartment tidied, and clean, with various items back in their place. It helps to get the next day started on the right foot. Keeping things generally organized also allows me to easily begin whatever it is I plan on doing at the time, be it cooking, relaxing with a game or writing up some paragraphs.
It’s funny how many times I think about how terrible I feel in a given moment and realize it’s probably because I had a terrible night’s sleep, then drank several cups of coffee but no water, and the room around me is a mess.
Action Outward
It can be easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless, especially when it’s other people whose lives are affected by the various decisions and policies being pushed lately. It’s much easier to sit on the couch, watch a YouTube video that agrees with my politics and think “wow that’s really bad. Good thing I have good beliefs and disavow the bad thing.”
I don’t think I’ve ever expressed my politics online or really in person much, but with some pretty heinous stuff lately, I guess I just need to put it out there. Arresting people for thought crimes, bypassing due process to deport legal immigrants and even US citizens alike and obliterating the recent progress many LGBTQIA+ people have made are just a glimpse of the social mayhem the Trump Administration has caused. Hell, for those who elected him for fiscal policies, he’s far from excelling there. There is no plan for tariffs attacking every country. Sure, there could be some merit for a protectionist policy for specific industries or incentives to “bring jobs back,” but with no plan for building that domestic capability all these tariffs have done is cause havoc.
I’m not a political analyst, so I’m sure there are some gaps in what I’ve laid out above, but all this to say, I think things happening from a federal political level are not just bad, they’re terrible. Life would be easier to just shrug my shoulders and say there’s nothing to be done. While I can’t change policies made, there’s always something to be done.
Getting out and volunteering is a good way to point that angst outward and try to do some good. A few years ago, my friend got me hooked on roller derby, and I’ve been lucky to have the time to volunteer for various events for the Chicago Team, the Windy City Rollers. Each time the experience is a lot of fun, be it selling merch at games or timing penalties during scrimmages. Putting my energy into something productive is always better than feeling bad on the couch. Just this past week, I had to force myself to get out and make it to a scrimmage after wavering on it throughout the work day. Once on the train into the city, I was excited to help out. This time around, I even got to learn a new officiating role, so that was really cool!
In local politics, I’ve started following the campaign of Kat Abughazaleh. I’ve joined the campaign’s Discord for the campaign, I’m keeping an eye out for local volunteer opportunities or events to get involved. Sure, an election is still be over a year away, but getting out and doing something with the energy is always better than nothing.
I mentioned in my last post, understanding what my local politicians are doing is something I’m looking to pursue. After voting at the beginning of the month, I’ve been trying to find a good source for keeping up with meetings, but came to the conclusion the best option will be to actually go to meetings. The only way to do that, will be to do the damn thing. Keep an eye out next month for what I learn along the way.
Trying Out Before Buying In 