It’s A LOT

I’m not gonna sugar coat it–there are a LOT of troubling things going on in the world right now. Like, more than usual. And even if you’re listening to this in the future, you probably remember this time, and now other awful things are happening. But these things aren’t just on the news, they’re all over social media. While you’re scrolling you might even accidentally see something really scary, even though you weren’t looking for it. If that’s happened to you, I’m so sorry.

With all that’s going on, you may have questions like, why do these horrible events keep happening? How can people stop it or make things better? Who is gonna do something about it? What will my future look like if things don’t change? Am I gonna be okay?

When you feel worried or weighed down by what you see happening, you often turn to adults for validation, comfort, and guidance. I hope you have people in your life that you trust and can turn to for support. I want to be another one of those people for you.

Validation

So first, I want to offer you validation. If you’ve been having a hard time lately, you’re not OVERreacting; what’s happening is OVERwhelming. Devastating accidents. Natural disasters. Groups being treated unfairly. Greedy companies. Power hungry world leaders. People suffering. And technology has made information instantly accessible–people share on social media in real time, which has its downsides. I don’t believe our brains and bodies were designed to process all the bad news, from all over the place, all at once. And yet we’re expected to carry on as if everything’s fine, when it’s not. What’s happening, what the adults in the world are allowing to happen is not fine. And you gals are watching, you’re aware of what’s going on. You’re not overreacting. And neither am I. Some may think it’s controversial to talk about these things, but this isn’t about politics; this is about morals, values, and humanity.

Thousands of you girls listen to this podcast every week. With the stats I can see, half of you are in the US, and half are in countries across the world. So when something bad happens, whether it’s in my country or yours, immediately I think of you and hope you’re okay. Like when I learned about the horrific attack at Bondi Beach in Australia last month, I prayed that you girls were safe, and sent my love and comfort to you. Because of Australia’s laws, events like that are incredibly rare, so that attack shook the entire country. Unfortunately it would be considered just another day in America. It’s become so common in the US that schools make students practice how to respond if it happens. So again, if you’ve been having a hard time lately with ALL the troubling things going on, you’re not OVERreacting; what’s happening is OVERwhelming.

Comfort

So next I want to offer you comfort. Because things are not hopeless–we are not, as you gals say, “cooked.” And I’m not pretending everything is awesome, I’m also not accepting that everything is awful. There is always good news happening, we just don’t hear about it as much. Which is why we have to make extra effort to look for it–in our lives, our families, our communities, in the world.

Earlier I shared a downside of tech/social media, but remember–my hot take is it’s how you use it, and there are upsides. To help balance out the bad news, I follow social media accounts that only post good news, like GoodNewsMovement, GoodGoodGoodCo, and TanksGoodNews. I also make sure I like/comment on their content to train the algorithm to send me similar content. And yeah sometimes it’s weird to scroll and see something really sad, and then the next thing I see is something happy or funny. But it’s better than doomscrolling. In fact, have you heard of hopescrolling? It’s purposefully searching for positive content. Try it out!

Also, as I shared in episode 034 Coping with Tragic News Events, I try to “look for the helpers” as Mr. Rogers taught me to do when I was little. When something bad happens, it’s reassuring to see first responders helping people, community members supporting each other, and organizations giving people food/supplies. I am especially moved when I see people from other cities, states, or countries offer aid or even just stand in solidarity with those who are hurting. There are always helpers around if you’re looking for them. 

When you do, you might also find people who want to change things for the better. They’re the ones speaking up for those who haven’t been heard. They’re the ones calling for accountability and justice. They’re the ones not just saying things that sound good, but doing things that make a difference. Changemakers are powerful, not because of their money or position, but because they inspire others to engage in making positive change. Intentionally seeking out good news, looking for the helpers, and finding the changemakers can bring you comfort.

Guidance 

Lastly, I want to offer some guidance for what YOU can do. I’ve talked about these things before, and I’m reminding you now because we learn by repetition, right? Here’s your homework:

Number one, you need to take good care of yourself. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, listen to episode 002 What You Can Control, episode 021 For When You’re Sad, and episode 034 Coping with Tragic News Events. Because it’s hard when things feel out of our control, and we’re in a low place, and scary things are happening. But it helps to recognize what’s within our control, it’s okay to not be okay, and there are healthy ways to cope.

Number two, notice what’s good around you. Because they’re out there! In episode 114 Glimmers + Gratitude we compared triggers and glimmers, and how it helps to notice the little lights in your life. Also in episode 004 Be The Good I explained how it’s so much easier to notice what’s bad, so instead choose to focus on what’s good and also create good yourself. And if you ever feel like, no matter what you do, you just can’t win? Do It Anyway, episode 127.

Number three, get involved in good things. You are not too small to make a big difference. In episode 064 Make Change Happen I listed ways you can do that with yourself, your family, your friends, your community, your city, your state, and even your country. And if you need some inspiration, I featured six girls your age who are doing good things in episode 062 Girls Changing the World. And if you want to start by volunteering in your community, I shared ideas in episode 141 It’s Giving Service.

That might sound like a lot of homework, but these episodes are like ten minutes each on normal speed, so I think you can handle it.

What is happening is A LOT. But at the same time, there’s also a lot of people in the world who are trying to change what is happening. When you feel overwhelmed, please turn to the trusted adults in your life for validation, comfort, and guidance. And remember you are not too small or young to make change happen. I have so much hope for the future because of you girls. And I can’t wait to see what you make happen.

Resources

If you have a topic suggestion, I’d love to hear from you! Send an email (tweens get the OK from your parents) to hello@EmpowerfulGirls.com .

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