~3 weeks ago I posted some thoughts^1 about the US #election. Upon more reflection, more thoughts and some updates. ~50 days until many #changes that will harm many, disrupt many more. Some changes and impacts will be immediate, some in days to weeks, mostly predictable, and some in months or longer, less predictable the further out. It will be a lot like 8 years ago, except accelerated in time and severity, more well planned and executed, and quickly becoming hard to predict. How to prepare for a mix of seemingly unpreventable disruptions and unpredictability? resilience, redundancies, redirects, and resistance. The next 50 days are the calm before a four year storm, if not longer. Perhaps there will be a respite in two years (midterms), perhaps even worth pursuing, yet not something to depend on. For now, the following come to mind as immediately useful, actionable, and necessary, as a ways to act that are sustainable, and build upon each other: 1. make changes slowly, gradually, incrementally 2. take extra care of yourself, physical health, mental health 3. strengthen connections that matter, close friends, family, neighbors, not social media One goal of these is to build stronger personal foundations from which to take larger actions. Lastly, it is easy to get discouraged after disappointing outcomes. Easy to feel powerless. There are things we can all do, individually or collectively, perhaps locally, and there are many things that are difficult or impossible. It’s a spectrum of difficulty, not a dichotomy. Better to focus on approachable actions and goals rather than seeking perfection, the enemy of the good.^2 Surround yourself with those that encourage and celebrate your actions and successes, and spend less time with those who speak fatalism (all outcomes are inevitable), defeatism (all actions are ineffective), or nihilism (nothing matters). Small successes build momentum and upon each other into larger successes. More to follow. ^1 https://tantek.com/2024/313/t1/reflecting-listening-thoughts ^2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfect_is_the_enemy_of_good

~3 weeks ago I posted some thoughts¹ about the US #election. Upon more reflection, more thoughts and some updates.

~50 days until many #changes that will harm many, disrupt many more. Some changes and impacts will be immediate, some in days to weeks, mostly predictable, and some in months or longer, less predictable the further out.

It will be a lot like 8 years ago, except accelerated in time and severity, more well planned and executed, and quickly becoming hard to predict.

How to prepare for a mix of seemingly unpreventable disruptions and unpredictability?

resilience, redundancies, redirects, and resistance.

The next 50 days are the calm before a four year storm, if not longer. Perhaps there will be a respite in two years (midterms), perhaps even worth pursuing, yet not something to depend on.

For now, the following come to mind as immediately useful, actionable, and necessary, as a ways to act that are sustainable, and build upon each other:

1. make changes slowly, gradually, incrementally
2. take extra care of yourself, physical health, mental health
3. strengthen connections that matter, close friends, family, neighbors, not social media

One goal of these is to build stronger personal foundations from which to take larger actions.

Lastly, it is easy to get discouraged after disappointing outcomes. Easy to feel powerless. There are things we can all do, individually or collectively, perhaps locally, and there are many things that are difficult or impossible. It’s a spectrum of difficulty, not a dichotomy.

Better to focus on approachable actions and goals rather than seeking perfection, the enemy of the good.²

Surround yourself with those that encourage and celebrate your actions and successes, and spend less time with those who speak fatalism (all outcomes are inevitable), defeatism (all actions are ineffective), or nihilism (nothing matters).

Small successes build momentum and upon each other into larger successes.

More to follow.

¹ https://tantek.com/2024/313/t1/reflecting-listening-thoughts
² https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfect_is_the_enemy_of_good