Lori, I really resonated with your point about building the society we want, not just rejecting what offends us. It’s so easy to get caught up in the “against” mentality, but what are we “for”? I often find myself thinking about this in my daily life. It’s not just about the big protests, but also the small acts of kindness and connection. I remember this one time, I was at the grocery store, and the cashier looked completely overwhelmed. Instead of rushing through, I just took a moment to chat with her, ask how her day was. It was such a simple thing, but her face lit up. It made me realize that building a better world starts with these little interactions, with seeing each other as human beings. It’s about living those values of love and interdependence in the checkout line, not just on the streets. It’s a daily practice, isn’t it? And sometimes, that’s the hardest kind of activism.
Alex, I think we could shout that from the rooftops: It’s about the daily practice of small acts of activism, of lover and interdependence. I know when I was younger, it was really easy to go to a protest and then give myself a pass from doing anything else. I did “the thing”—shouldn’t I be off the hook? And while those protests are vital, they’re just one side of the equation.
Your experience with the cashier is such a powerful example of how activism (which is just a fancy way of saying “doing what we believe”) is an accessible, everyday practice. I think of how often you’ve talked about presence and mindfulness, and it seems like we’re only going to be everyday activists if we’re being present. We have to notice that the cashier looks overwhelmed before we can choose to do something in response. So maybe the first practice is presence, followed by activism?
It’s really hard not to get too involved and caught up in all of the energy and potential of it all. I’m sitting out this one because my RA is acting up and planning to do some quieter actions from home. I’ve seen a couple recommendations to send postcards to members of Congress who are standing up to authority, so that’s my plan: reinforce what I want to see more of from our elected officials. (Apparently envelopes go through more security screening, so post cards reach their offices faster. The things I’m learning!)
I am an HSP and this will be my first-ever protest that I will attend. I regret not attending the Women’s March in 2016 and will be doing this one with close friends and my father. I am nervous about it, but I also feel compelled to hopefully mobilize others to get active in their own way(s). I also email my 2 congresspeople once a week either thanking them or reminding them of our expectations of their leadership. When I am able to, I donate to the causes that are important to me. I just recording an email today asking for volunteers for weekly phone banking sessions (that can be done at home) and also to attend a gathering at the state capitol on a day our state legislature is hearing remarks about a healthcare bill. I am pleased to be receiving so many emails from the orgs with actionable things for me to do. I am planning to take Friday “off” to rest up before the protest and also be off again on Sunday to rest and recover. I am thankful to this site and community to hear of others who care about what is happening to our country as well as the consideration for our needs as HSPs. Thank you Lori for providing this space for all of us!
Wow, Stacia, you are doing so many fabulous things! Thank you for all your efforts! I really want to validate that protests can be anxiety-provoking. When my health was better, I used to take part in many protests, and there’s always an element of unpredictability. Being prepared helped me manage my feelings. It’s great that you have people to go with and a plan to care for yourself before and after (that was a lesson I learned the hard way). I don’t know if your local protest organizers will have an debriefing afterwards, but if they offer it, you may want to join others in sharing what the experience was like. For me, that kind of discussion helps emotionally close an experience of whatever kind. If you want to share a photo or tell us about your experience, please do! In any case, take care of yourself and know that you are making a difference and inspiring others (including me). Thank you! 💚
I was looking at a map of Hands Off! demonstrations and it occurred to me if all the people in cities would simultaneous converge peacefully, but prepared, to all the rural areas we could end all this right now.
Remember the Trump Train Caravans of 2016?
That, only in reverse. Bring the city to the country en masse to give my neighbors a lesson in population distribution and density.
That’s a really interesting idea and I’m sure it would be powerful. I wish I had a sense of how to organize that sort of thing, but hopefully someone else with the skills will give it a go. Thanks for joining in the conversation!
Lori, I'd never be able to attend a protest due to my sensory sensitivities. So, I really appreciate this resource of behind the scenes ways we can support protests and other ways to resist. I love your focus on unity, too.
So glad this was beneficial to you, Sandra! The sensory and emotional stimulation of protest marches and sit ins can be too much for many people, and there is no shame in that. When my joints let me do these things, I still needed days to recover afterwards from the overstimulation. There are plenty of other ways to be involved in a movement! 💚✨
Thanks for this, Lori. I'm Canadian and believe that we all have the obligation to vote/protest/speak out whenever and wherever possible. I'd like to add to your list of how to protest without marching -- vote with your dollars. Or, in this case, protest with your dollar. Protect and support businesses that align with your values. ✌️
Yes, I forgot to mention that! Thank you, Lisa, for the important reminder. And thank you for the solidarity that you and so many Canadians are showing the average Americans like me, who cannot believe we are faced with this reality. Voting with our dollars is such a powerful tool! 💚✨
I am an HSP, but my distress over what is happening during this administration is greater than my dislike of crowds, my sensitivity to loud noises and other stuff, and my fear of potential danger. I am retired, my kids are launched, and I need to do this for my kids' & granddaughter's futures. Choose your protest site with your needs in mind, but for my part, I am going to Washington, DC to make sure I am counted. Click on Lori's link at the beginning of her article.
I appreciate you sharing, Leslie, and thank you for being there in person. I hope you’ll have a plan to decompress afterwards. I always felt like I needed more time to get my nervous system back in balance than I spent at protests in the past. Wishing you a safe and impactful protest! 💚
Lori, I really resonated with your point about building the society we want, not just rejecting what offends us. It’s so easy to get caught up in the “against” mentality, but what are we “for”? I often find myself thinking about this in my daily life. It’s not just about the big protests, but also the small acts of kindness and connection. I remember this one time, I was at the grocery store, and the cashier looked completely overwhelmed. Instead of rushing through, I just took a moment to chat with her, ask how her day was. It was such a simple thing, but her face lit up. It made me realize that building a better world starts with these little interactions, with seeing each other as human beings. It’s about living those values of love and interdependence in the checkout line, not just on the streets. It’s a daily practice, isn’t it? And sometimes, that’s the hardest kind of activism.
Alex, I think we could shout that from the rooftops: It’s about the daily practice of small acts of activism, of lover and interdependence. I know when I was younger, it was really easy to go to a protest and then give myself a pass from doing anything else. I did “the thing”—shouldn’t I be off the hook? And while those protests are vital, they’re just one side of the equation.
Your experience with the cashier is such a powerful example of how activism (which is just a fancy way of saying “doing what we believe”) is an accessible, everyday practice. I think of how often you’ve talked about presence and mindfulness, and it seems like we’re only going to be everyday activists if we’re being present. We have to notice that the cashier looks overwhelmed before we can choose to do something in response. So maybe the first practice is presence, followed by activism?
I love how you distilled that from my very long winded comment. HAHA. Yes - I think that is it - first is the practice of presence.
I no longer can go be part of active protests. I get TOO involved. 😂
It’s really hard not to get too involved and caught up in all of the energy and potential of it all. I’m sitting out this one because my RA is acting up and planning to do some quieter actions from home. I’ve seen a couple recommendations to send postcards to members of Congress who are standing up to authority, so that’s my plan: reinforce what I want to see more of from our elected officials. (Apparently envelopes go through more security screening, so post cards reach their offices faster. The things I’m learning!)
I am an HSP and this will be my first-ever protest that I will attend. I regret not attending the Women’s March in 2016 and will be doing this one with close friends and my father. I am nervous about it, but I also feel compelled to hopefully mobilize others to get active in their own way(s). I also email my 2 congresspeople once a week either thanking them or reminding them of our expectations of their leadership. When I am able to, I donate to the causes that are important to me. I just recording an email today asking for volunteers for weekly phone banking sessions (that can be done at home) and also to attend a gathering at the state capitol on a day our state legislature is hearing remarks about a healthcare bill. I am pleased to be receiving so many emails from the orgs with actionable things for me to do. I am planning to take Friday “off” to rest up before the protest and also be off again on Sunday to rest and recover. I am thankful to this site and community to hear of others who care about what is happening to our country as well as the consideration for our needs as HSPs. Thank you Lori for providing this space for all of us!
Wow, Stacia, you are doing so many fabulous things! Thank you for all your efforts! I really want to validate that protests can be anxiety-provoking. When my health was better, I used to take part in many protests, and there’s always an element of unpredictability. Being prepared helped me manage my feelings. It’s great that you have people to go with and a plan to care for yourself before and after (that was a lesson I learned the hard way). I don’t know if your local protest organizers will have an debriefing afterwards, but if they offer it, you may want to join others in sharing what the experience was like. For me, that kind of discussion helps emotionally close an experience of whatever kind. If you want to share a photo or tell us about your experience, please do! In any case, take care of yourself and know that you are making a difference and inspiring others (including me). Thank you! 💚
I was looking at a map of Hands Off! demonstrations and it occurred to me if all the people in cities would simultaneous converge peacefully, but prepared, to all the rural areas we could end all this right now.
Remember the Trump Train Caravans of 2016?
That, only in reverse. Bring the city to the country en masse to give my neighbors a lesson in population distribution and density.
That’s a really interesting idea and I’m sure it would be powerful. I wish I had a sense of how to organize that sort of thing, but hopefully someone else with the skills will give it a go. Thanks for joining in the conversation!
Lori, I'd never be able to attend a protest due to my sensory sensitivities. So, I really appreciate this resource of behind the scenes ways we can support protests and other ways to resist. I love your focus on unity, too.
So glad this was beneficial to you, Sandra! The sensory and emotional stimulation of protest marches and sit ins can be too much for many people, and there is no shame in that. When my joints let me do these things, I still needed days to recover afterwards from the overstimulation. There are plenty of other ways to be involved in a movement! 💚✨
Thanks for this, Lori. I'm Canadian and believe that we all have the obligation to vote/protest/speak out whenever and wherever possible. I'd like to add to your list of how to protest without marching -- vote with your dollars. Or, in this case, protest with your dollar. Protect and support businesses that align with your values. ✌️
🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️🤦♀️
Yes, I forgot to mention that! Thank you, Lisa, for the important reminder. And thank you for the solidarity that you and so many Canadians are showing the average Americans like me, who cannot believe we are faced with this reality. Voting with our dollars is such a powerful tool! 💚✨
Lori, Thank you for posting this reminder.
I am an HSP, but my distress over what is happening during this administration is greater than my dislike of crowds, my sensitivity to loud noises and other stuff, and my fear of potential danger. I am retired, my kids are launched, and I need to do this for my kids' & granddaughter's futures. Choose your protest site with your needs in mind, but for my part, I am going to Washington, DC to make sure I am counted. Click on Lori's link at the beginning of her article.
I appreciate you sharing, Leslie, and thank you for being there in person. I hope you’ll have a plan to decompress afterwards. I always felt like I needed more time to get my nervous system back in balance than I spent at protests in the past. Wishing you a safe and impactful protest! 💚
With caring, courage,
raise/join hands, all-hands-on-deck.
Various ways to serve.