New Year’s Resolutions in the Age of Trump

I’ve never been one for New Year’s resolutions. They’ve often seemed sappy, and we’re all familiar with jokes about gym memberships purchased in January and quickly forgotten. But this year it feels different. This year so much changed. While I entered 2016 with optimism, I enter 2017 with grave fears about our nation’s future. This year, New Year’s feels like a good time to stop, think, and reflect. What can I do, in 2017, to build a better future for myself, my family, and my nation?

The problems that confront us often feel overwhelming. I’m not an elected official. I’m not a wealthy business owner. What can I do? I sat down and asked myself this question, and started writing. And it turns out that I can do a lot. Having written this list, I feel energized rather than overwhelmed. Perhaps my list will help you, too.

I will use my voice

It is easy to feel small, but no matter how small we are we do each have our own voice. We can exercise that voice in a variety of ways. We can say something when I overhear bigotry. We can write letters to the editor. We can contact my elected officials. We can pay more attention to local politics, and get involved as time and ability permit. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by how big the world is, and how much is wrong, but all we can do is use what we have.

Sometimes in the past I’ve confused using my voice with speaking out on social media. Oh certainly, speaking out on social media is a way to use my voice, but the two must not be confused for synonyms—and social media can be uniquely stress-inducing. This year, in moments when I feel overwhelmed by social media, I’m going to try to respond by exercising my voice in another way—writing a letter to an editor, or placing a call to an elected official (these calls can be made on a variety of issues).

I will build community

Relationships are important. Networks are important. Community is important. In many cases the most important actions we can take are those that seem the smallest and most localized. We can support others in our community. We can be there for a friend. When we create community, we build something bigger than ourselves. We help others, we influence others, we build a foundation for positive change.

We often live disconnected lives. It’s not that we don’t have friends, of course—we do. But what about hosting a monthly potluck for friends and neighbors? Even just getting to know your neighbors can be part of building community. What about swapping babysitting, or doing random acts of kindness? There are ways to foster online community, too—regular Skype calls, or creating a list of friends you want to keep up with and reaching out to each every so often to ask how things are going.

I will learn new things

At one point this fall I sat in my living room for hours listening to new neighbors talk about their family history. These neighbors are Jewish. I’ve learned more about Judaism from them, and about life as a religious minority—like the time they thought a cinder block we’d placed on our porch to hold our door open had been left there as a message by someone unhappy with our presence in the neighborhood. Several weeks ago, too, I attended a Kwanzaa event for the first time ever.

What better way to push back against bigotry and intolerance than by learning more about others’ cultures, lives, and histories? We can do this through our reading habits, by building relationships with those around us, and by keeping our eyes open for cultural festivals or other opportunities. In 2017, I want to do more, and to learn more. I plan to foster my appreciation for the diversity that makes this country great, and to augment my understanding of the peoples and cultures around me.

I will give of what I have

I am a working mother with two children. Childcare is expensive, and our budget sometimes feels worn thin. My time and my money are both limited. But that doesn’t mean I have nothing to give. I do. I can contribute small amounts to various causes as finances allow. I can choose individual volunteer opportunities that fit into my schedule. If we all do what we can, we can do a lot.

I was feeling stressed, recently, by my perceived lack of volunteer work. But then I realized something—I volunteer regularly at my daughter’s school, fostering literacy and encouraging children’s interest in reading. I hadn’t thought of that as volunteer work because it didn’t fit a specific cause, but it is volunteer work, and it does make a difference. Rather than being overwhelmed by everything we aren’t doing or can’t do, let’s take a moment to consider what we are doing and what we can do.

I will love deeply

Why do we push for progressive causes? It’s about equal treatment and respect for all and basic human rights, yes, but deep down, it’s about love. It’s about valuing and caring about those around us. Love is something I can do in my everyday life. I can show love to my husband, and my children, and my friends, and my neighbors and community. I can radiate the values I promote—kindness, and compassion.

This is also where self care comes into play. We need to take time for ourselves, for our families, for the people we love and the things we love. We need to build our own nests, oases from the outside world. This isn’t about isolating ourselves, and when combined with building community these islands of happiness radiate outwards. It’s about making real the world we want to build, in what little ways we can.

Here’s to 2017, and may it be a far better year than 2016.

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