Resilience and Democracy
November 2, 2023
The Power of Powerlessness
November 15, 2023
Outrage brings high negative energy. There are many events that elicit this reaction. It is the natural response to news of violence or injustice. My concern is that there are voices demanding this response from others. Outrage quickly becomes exhausting and a drain on your energy. Acknowledge outrage and every other strong feeling elicited by the terrible news. Take care of yourself by finding outlets for your emotions. And then do the work of moving from outrage to determination.
The steps to moving from outrage to determination aren’t easy. There are barriers to doing so but it is worth the effort. A bunch of outraged people draw attention and create chaos. A bunch of determined people make things happen. Let’s look at what it takes to move from one to the other.
Proof not Required
The first step is to recognize that there are people who see intense anger as proof that you care. If you are not outraged then you must not give a damn. That, or you are too naive to understand what is going on. This hostile attitude shows up on tv, in social media, and sometimes in conversation. You can care deeply and not walk around in full outrage. Certainly, you understand that this event is awful, and you are aware of the history behind the current violence. Outrage is an emotion, and emotions are meant to be short term that provide you with information, not permanent states of mind. Don’t buy into the myth that outrage is required to prove that you are aware and compassionate.
Balance is Effective
Outrage is a valid reaction but is not a mood state to live in full time. Strong emotions make it hard to use your thinking brain because they can take your logic offline. I believe there are those who would like you to stay outraged because then you are more easily influenced. They can direct you to vote, donate, or take action in ways that make sense to them. Walking around outraged keeps you off balance. What the world needs is more people who are balanced, compassionate, and using their best skills to make a positive difference. Take care of yourself, feel your feelings, and step away from the onslaught of news whenever you need to so that you can make a decision about how you will act.
Making the Shift
Determination is a cognitive act. You can see this in its synonyms: calculate, conclude, decide, resolve. To move away from outrage to more a constructive stance, begin by taking 3 giant steps back and consider The Thing that has triggered your sense of outrage. Is there more you want to understand about The Thing? Learn from those who increase your understanding instead of those who demand your anger. Talk the situation over with supportive people.
Consider how the Thing might impact your priorities. For some people, this might be a major shift in focus toward a particular need; whereas others have ongoing priorities that they choose not to step away from. Most of us can find ways to support those directly impacted, let our elected leaders know what we would like to see from them, and then re-focus on the work we do in this world. You can determine your priorities as many times as you need to in the face of life events.
Moving from outrage to determination allows you to keep all of your priorities in mind. You can remember that taking care of yourself is your first responsibility. You can feel all of your feelings without getting stuck in any of them. You can make the difference you want to make using the skills and abilities you have at this time in your life. Use the power of determination to be thoughtful, compassionate, and powerful. Determine what you can do, make a plan, and then implement your plan – preferably with others. This is how we create a sustainable difference, together.
Peace,
Laura A. Gaines
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