Caring is hot! How little acts can make a big difference in times of uncertainty
Who's afraid of little old we?
This is what democracy looks like. This is what democracy sounds like.
I attended the No Kings march in NYC and my chest swelled with a sweet, familiar feeling that hadn’t bubbled up in a long, long time: hope. 50,000+ people took to the streets of New York, despite the constant stream of rain, to show their love and concern for our country. It was powerful and necessary and invigorating. And every single person who showed up made an impact.
Despite living in what feels like the hottest political climate on record (everything’s relative), it’s easy for things to feel cold, dark, and gloomy. But I find that action—no matter how big or small—is the energizing force that moves us forward. It’s that me, espresso!
Since the election was called in November, I’ve made a handful of changes in my daily life that make me feel good. Small, but impactful things that give me power, fulfillment and a sense of peace… even when it feels like the world’s on fire. Remember, doing something is always better than doing nothing. If every protestor at the No Kings march had decided that their presence was not needed, we wouldn’t have had an 11M+ person turnout and showed the world we’re fighting back. You are important!
LITTLE ACTS THAT MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE:
Shop local. I deleted my Amazon and let me tell you—that was a hard breakup. We’re so accustomed to immediacy and excess that removing it from my day-to-day was much more challenging than I expected it to be. But I was eager to reduce the amount of money I was giving to mega corporations and funnel it into my local community. I live in an extremely walkable city with speciality stores on every corner, so this is much easier for me than it is for others. But being more intentional with where your money is going and putting it back into your ecosystem is any easy way to feel good and support your people. Disclaimer: I did subscribe to Prime Video to stream Overcompensating and it was worth it, kid!
Donate to friends’ fundraisers. Whenever I see a friend share a link on social media that’s raising money for a cause, I donate immediately. I started doing this during COVID (the 2020s have been eventful, no?), but it’s a habit that has stuck with me. Donate as little as $10 and skip your coffee the next day.
Balance your news intake. The key word here is balance. Balance doesn’t mean ignore entirely. If you are able to completely tune out the noise, please recognize what a privilege is to not have to worry about what’s going on in the world around you! Balance also doesn’t mean that the news is always-on the TV or flooding your social feeds. There are tons of daily news podcasts or email newsletters that you can add to your routine to stay up-to-date without burning out. I personally like to listen to Up First from NPR. They cover the 3 major news stories you need to start your day. NPR is an independent, non-profit media organization and is currently under threat of being defunded (classic), so I like to give my time to their organization.
Audit your social media consumption. Your views give creators money. Be cognizant of the lives and voices you’re funding! Want to know a secret? I use the block button a lot. It’s a harmless action that protects my peace (and my feed) from the hate we can get sucked into online. And this isn’t just political takes or hot personalities. I unfollowed Revolve on IG years ago because they posted a million times a day and constantly seeing tiny models in new clothes made me feel icky. I was in a constant state of comparison and once I unfollowed their account, it cut a lot of the negative noise. The same goes for podcasts... I’ve said goodbye to a couple long-time listens. I bet you know which ones they are, lol.
Attend marches and rallies. Giving your time and energy is a sacrifice and a way to show up for those around you. These can be extremely powerful and comforting, but not without a dose of uncertainty that things could get heated. My suggestion is to go with friends, consciously stick together, and walk on the side of the march rather than in the center to avoid feeling claustrophobic.
Volunteer your time. There are tons of ways to volunteer your time: walking dogs at the local shelter, playing bingo with seniors, making sandwiches or putting together care kits, park clean-ups, the list goes on. Commit to volunteering at least once a month (or even once a quarter) as a way to play a more active, positive role in your community.
Some organizations I’ve worked with in NYC:
Educate yourself on local elections. When there’s a lot to do or I am feeling overwhelmed, my Dad always asks me: “How do you eat the elephant? One bite at a time.” Strange picture, yes. But the sentiment is always true. You can only tackle the big thing by breaking it down into action-oriented smaller ones. This is how I view local elections. If you want to see change up at the top, you have to start making changes at the local level. There are tons of resources that help you understand your ballot, but BallotReady is where I always go.
I strongly believe that the sexiest thing you can do in 2025 is ~give a damn~ !!!! Being an active member of your community, your country, and the world is a beautiful luxury and I hope this inspires you to make even the tiniest change… doing something is always better than doing nothing.
xx Caylee
Great article Caylee! You got some talent kid
Absolutely great points‼️