Day-by-Day Guide to Joining the Resistance Against Trump and Project 2025

Author: Randy Henderson (randy@randy-henderson.com) | Last Updated: 2/14/2025

This guide is intended to help you get past the sense of being overwhelmed, or that there is nothing you can really do/ there’s too many choices, and instead help you easily join the resistance (against Trump, MAGA, Project 2025 and their assault on America).

There’s not much surprising in here, but a lot of this info is scattered across hundreds of articles and organizations, so I’ve gathered it in one place and tried to give some order and context and reason to it all.

I’ve also chosen to put the focus on your health, happiness and safety in this process.

You will be tempted to skip the self-care stuff to get to the more political action because you feel a need to DO something ASAP.

But take a moment for yourself so that you can act, not react.

Also, this is going to be a years-long fight. 

Trump is going to be saying and doing something crazy and threatening every day for the next four years.  Every. Day.  There will always be an urgent need to do something. 

But you are not the only person doing something.  And when you do act it will be soon enough.

And caring for yourself is how you can stay IN the fight, and be most successful.

Anyway, I hope you find this guide a manageable, step-by-step, and healthy way to join the resistance.



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Day by Day Guide to Joining the ResistanceDownload

DAY 1 (AND ONGOING): SET YOURSELF UP FOR SELF-CARE/ FINDING JOY

DAY 2: SET YOURSELF UP TO NOT DOOMSCROLL SOCIAL MEDIA OR NEWS

DAY 3: ADD LAYERS OF SAFETY WHERE YOU CAN

DAY 4: BURST THE NEWS BUBBLE/ GET AND SHARE THE TRUTH.

DAY 5 (AND ONGOING): START MAKING NOISE ON THE ISSUES IMPORTANT TO YOU

DAY 6 (AND ONGOING): FORM/ FIND COMMUNITIES.

DAY 7: EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS TO DEFEND SPECIFIC GROUPS BEING ATTACKED BY TRUMP AND PROJECT 2025

DAY 8: ACTIVELY ENGAGE WITH THE ALREADY-ORGANIZED RESISTANCE GROUPS

DAY 8 (OPTIONALLY): FIND, PREPARE FOR AND JOIN PROTESTS.

DAY 9 (AND ONGOING): VOLUNTEER TO HELP THOSE PUT IN NEED

DAY 10 (AND ONGOING): VOTE/ PROTEST WITH YOUR MONEY

(ONGOING):BE ACTIVE IN VOTING AND MAYBE POLITICS

(ONGOING): HELP MAKE/KEEP YOUR WORKPLACE SAFE AND FAIR

FINAL SUMMARY

THERAPY AND EMOTIONAL CRISIS RESOURCES

DAY 1 (AND ONGOING): SET YOURSELF UP FOR SELF-CARE/ FINDING JOY

I know this seems discordant right now. 

It is vital you care for and replenish your mental, emotional and physical health so you have the energy to SUSTAIN the fight, because it is going to be years-long.

You will quickly burn out, or surrender to despair, if you focus solely on all the bad things happening, and on fighting ALL the things all the time.

So find ways to laugh with your friends, to celebrate the good things, to love and be loved, and create spaces and moments of normality for yourself and others amidst the batshit craziness.

Many people understandably feel guilty trying to be happy at a time like this.  But it is important.  Preserve and model the world we are fighting for.

This is as much an act of defiance as marching or anything else.  To not let them drown you in their hate and greed, to keep your head above the water, and hold up the lights of joy and love and freedom for others to see in the darkness, for others to take comfort and strength from, as you can from them.

So today …

1) Work Self-Care Into your Routine

There’s a proven principle called the 3-1 Positive to Negative Rule: If you can experience 3 positive emotions to every 1 negative emotion over the course of an hour, day, week, you increase your emotional health and the ability to tackle any problem you are facing.  So be sure to take breaks from the activism and worry and anger for your emotional health.  Be aware, and self-care.

So whatever brings you joy or improves your mood, practice this week consciously choosing to do these things at least three times for each one negative or difficult emotional activity or experience when possible.

a) Make time this week to spend with the friends and (found) family that bring you joy and comfort.  Put it on your (non-Google) calendar.  Something to look forward to.

b) Do the things that bring you comfort or helps you get out of your anxious thoughts when alone.

For example, hot baths, curling up with a good book, taking walks, playing with a pet, creating (drawing, knitting, writing, etc), listening or dancing to music, gardening, baking, gaming, watching a comfort TV show, watching cat videos, exercise, yoga, or whatever works for you.

c) BREAK GLASS WHEN NEEDED.  Set up and have ready to go some of these options for when you most urgently need them.

Here’s some options:

2) Explore the Psychological First Aid course from the Red Cross.

Per the site, Psychological First Aid (PFA) is about taking care of yourself – your thoughts, feelings and emotions when you have experienced stress, crisis or trauma – and then being there for family, friends and community when they are having difficulty coping.

If able, consider enrolling and scheduling regular time over the coming weeks to take the Self-Care course linked on the site.

And then, if you complete that and feel able, take the Caring for Others course after.  You’ll even be certified.

3) Perform a daily Random Act of Kindness

This not only lifts up the other person, but will give you a small boost of happiness and positive sense of self.

Put a note or reminder on your phone or desk or wherever will help and not be ignored by tomorrow.

This doesn’t have to be paying for someone else in line etcetera.  This can be as easy and personal as:

  • Simply fire off a quick message, email, or social media post that genuinely praises or thanks someone, especially someone you haven’t spoken to recently, or at a time you don’t normally interact.
  • Offer to just listen or be there for someone going through a difficult time or that you know is feeling alone or isolated (in the moment, or setup a time to do so).
  • Compliment someone publicly, whether a shout-out in a group chat or on social media (if this is something that would be appreciated, not anxiety-inducing).
  • Create a playlist for someone with songs or videos that have given you joy in recent days and may for them, and share it with them. 

4) Do Cardiovascular Exercise

Ugh.  I know.  But in whatever way you enjoy and are able, at least 20 minutes a day 3 days a week, will do wonders for your mental state and acuity, blood pressure, and more, and help keep you physically healthy through this long fight.  Put it on the calendar.

5) Consider Taking a You Moment

Meditation, or just “taking a moment,” is one solution proven to increase happiness, mental performance, and health. 

No, you don’t have to chant, or somehow empty your mind, or anything so mysterious.

But our society conditions us to be multi-taskers, and in the resistance there is always urgent things demanding our time and attention.  So it is important to work in a deliberate method of stopping, and taking a moment.

Take today to look into meditation options that would work for you and try one out.

  • Take a You Moment.  Just take a few minutes each day to stop and be in the moment, be aware of your own breathing, aware of your feelings and sensations, aware of your thoughts.  If in the shower, for example, just take a moment to be aware of the feel of the water, of the smell of the shampoo, etc.
  • Try a meditation app.  Search on popular meditation apps, or poll your friends for ones they like.  Download one and try it out today.

6) Care for your Partner Relationships if applicable

Ideally, partners and spouses (and/ or best friends) are a source of emotional support and strength for each other, which can be critical in difficult times like these.

It can be easy with so many horrible and stressful things going on in the world on top of the normal challenges of life to unintentionally neglect these important relationships, or become unaware that, however much you love and appreciate them in your head, you are not expressing it out loud enough between all the expressions of stress and anxiety and worry and planning and coordinating and …

Similar to the 3-1 happiness rule, there was to be a 5-to-1 positive-to-negative rule that pretty accurately predicts longevity and happiness in a relationship.

So try to have around 5 positive interactions for every 1 negative one.  Compliment them, thank them, be silly together, share a memory, do something interactive and joyful, in between asking did they see the news that there may be toilet paper shortages again and oh yeah by the way they used up all the toilet paper and forgot to replace the roll again …

Maybe take some time today to write down some of the things you love and appreciate about them, and have those ready to go to share with them when most needed.

It is not hard to imagine why the opposite (5 negatives for every 1 positive) does not bode well for either longevity or happiness in a relationship, and can ultimately lead to stress and hurt at a time when you both most need love and support.

DAY 2: SET YOURSELF UP TO NOT DOOMSCROLL SOCIAL MEDIA OR NEWS

Doomscrolling social media or waking up to new terrible headlines every day can be overwhelming and create both a sense of urgency and a sense of overwhelm/ depression/ hopelessness/constant fury.

Remember, this is intentional.  This is part of their strategy, to make you feel things are even worse and larger than they are, and pulled in so many directions that you can’t go in any. 

And of course it is also the algorithm holding your attention for profit.

Interrupt the automatic habit of doomscrolling however you can.

  • Use focus settings. 
  • Bury the social media and news app icons deep in folders off of your home screen. 
  • Move apps up front that help bring you joy, or relax, or learn and grow that you can easily choose first (e.g. in the spot that where your thumb naturally goes to open the doomscrolling app of choice today).  Kindle?  Coursera/Udemy?  Link to a web page of cat photos?  Link to Dodo animal rescue videos?  Whatever would work for you.
  • Get a Brick if you need to (and are able). 

DAY 3: ADD LAYERS OF SAFETY WHERE YOU CAN

Spend the day preparing what you can to best ensure your safety as you move forward.

  1. For a Browser, consider using an onion browser that hides your identity and location (IP Address) while browsing.  A popular and free one is Tor Browser: https://www.torproject.org/download/

When not using an onion browser, consider using Firefox rather than Chrome or Edge (or Safari), and use Private Windows.

  • For a Search Engine, consider using DuckDuckGo instead of Google.  It better protects your search privacy.  https://duckduckgo.com/
  • For Messaging/ Texts, consider a secure messaging app like Signal.
  • For Personal/ Protesting Safety, this NRDC article on protestor safety contains a lot of information that is good outside of protests as well: https://www.nrdc.org/stories/how-protest-safely
  • Documentation: Make digital and printed copies of important data and documents like Social Security card and latest statement, Birth Certificate, Passport, Driver’s License, etc and have them in multiple safe places.

Depending on your ability and inclination, there are lots of other preparations you could make of course: financial preparations, self-defense preparations, food store preparations, and more.

If so inclined, take today to at least research recommendations and make shopping plans/ lists that you can begin acting on in the coming days/ weeks, and possibly even enrolling in upcoming classes on relevant topics.

Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it — as long as you aren’t bankrupting yourself preparing for a problem that may never happen. 

If needed, also assign someone to occasionally help you sanity check that you haven’t fallen into the trap of “prepping” out of fear or a need for a sense of control to the point it’s taken over your finances or your life to the detriment of actually living a happy and healthy life.


DAY 4: BURST THE NEWS BUBBLE/ GET AND SHARE THE TRUTH. 

Take time today to update the apps and links you use to get your news.

And put in practice a strategy that ensures your choices and reactions are rooted in the truths that impact you, and step back from all the noise and misinformation.

1. Try a news aggregator like Ground News. 

If possible, subscribe to Ground News: https://ground.news/ 

With this, you can see how the same story is being presented across ALL of the major news outlets, from far-right to far-left and everything between, as well as see the Blindspot stories that aren’t being covered by one or the other side, to better glean the truth out of the spin and decide for yourself what is really going on.  They also conveniently give stories Factuality and Bias ratings, but feel free to make your own assessments of course.

They have subscriptions as cheap as $9.99 a year.  And half the progressive political video podcasters I watch offer discount links, I’m sure you can find one.

2. Add Apps/ Links to foreign and independent news sources wherever you go to view news.

For-profit American media has never been great at putting truth before profit.  But with Trump’s latest moves and threats against American media and individual journalists, even sources that weren’t Trump propaganda machines before are censoring themselves, or currying favor, and promoting narratives rather than exposing truth.

So get the outside, potentially more objective perspective.  Here’s a couple examples (feel free to choose your own):

3. Possibly Add Some of These Additional News Sources

This list is lifted from Robert Reich.  Add whatever of them appeals.

4. For “News” Items in Social Media, Start Practicing “Wait, Verify, Act Only if Helpful.” 

You are going to see a ton of news headlines, and screenshots of posts by Trump or Musk or others, as well as other things that make you immediately either furious, or feel vindicated.

But first, remember that every single social media platform you likely use is controlled by one of the billionaires who lined up behind Trump at his inauguration, most of whom donated millions either to Trump’s campaign or Inauguration fund to show their loyalty, and avoid retribution.

Don’t trust what you read in these platforms, nor the “trends” you see, like the sense that Trump is “winning” bigly and there’s no hope of stopping him.  Again, not only do the algorithms of many of the social media sites (and sites like YouTube) skew to the right or favor Trump outright, but they are engineered to keep you doomscrolling for profit.

Don’t immediately reply or repost. 

There’s always a chance the content isn’t real, or out of context, or an intended distraction, and you are letting yourself be manipulated.

  • If it is important enough you want to reply or share, then research it. 
  • If it is true, consider what perspective or context or clarity you can add to the conversation, or who will even see it if you post something about it.
  • Is it worth your emotional time and energy?  Is it worth your emotional time and energy to deal with (or ideally ignore) the troll comments and replies?
  • Still want to reply or repost after a day and verification?  Go for it.

DAY 5 (AND ONGOING): START MAKING NOISE ON THE ISSUES IMPORTANT TO YOU

1) PICK YOUR ISSUES.  Pick what are the couple (or few) most important issues to you, and focus on those.

This is both for your own sanity, and to be most effective. 

Trust that others are putting equal passion and work into the other issue.

2) MAKE AT LEAST 3 CALLS DAILY TO ELECTED OFFICIALS.

But my call won’t matter because my rep is Republican and won’t care / I’m already in a safely Blue district where my rep will already do the right thing.

First, take nothing for granted.  Calls actually DO sway decisions (far more than emails). 

Some Democrats do fail to vote the way you had assumed/trusted them to vote at times. Enough calls CAN make them do the right thing.

And even if your rep is full-on MAGA Republican, it is hard for them to ignore a FLOOD of calls.  In the end, they truly care about one thing: getting re-elected.  So make them nervous, and they may just choose to be absent on voting date, or even change their vote.

Finally, the total volume of calls flooding into all of Congress on an issue tells them that people are paying attention and not happy, and that affects their broader strategies, and how much or little they will be vocal about disagreements with Trump, etcetera.

Consider using an option like 5Calls.org

I love 5Calls.  All you have to do is put in your zip code, choose an issue, and it will tell you who to call, and even give you a sample call script which you can follow or not as you like.

Download the 5Calls App and put it on your home page.  Yep, there’s an app for it that makes it even easier.

Alternately, you can use sites like USAgov to find your reps (as long as Musk doesn’t take it down): https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials

Now, make some calls.

Once you know what kind of time and headspace you need for it, plan how to make it part of your daily ritual.  When in your day are you most likely to make these calls? Set yourself an alarm/ reminder.  Or create a ritual habit (Eat breakfast. Make Calls. Clean up.  Go about your day knowing you did something to help.)

DAY 6 (AND ONGOING): FORM/ FIND COMMUNITIES. 

1. Create/ Organize Community

Building community is important.  There is joy in community.  Knowing people opens opportunity for understanding and education that being strangers does not.  And there is power in numbers.  There is resilience in numbers.  There is safety in numbers.

Build a community to share the load, to commiserate and celebrate with, to share ideas with, to keep each other motivated, to keep each other informed, to create resiliency and strength against political and economic harm, to not be alone.

Today, pick just a couple of ways you could build community, and make a plan and timeline to do so.

Options include (but are not limited to):

Your Neighbors

  • Introduce yourself when opportunities present if you haven’t already (keep it simple)
  • Welcome newly moved-in neighbors
  • Create a community garden
  • Build a Little Free Library
  • Start a tool sharing group
  • Talk to other parents at the park or playground
  • Check in on neighbors who might be alone and struggling
  • Attend, host or contribute to barbeques, block parties, etc
  • Offer small gifts or treats at holidays
  • Organize a neighborhood yard sale
  • Check in on neighbors that may be alone and/or vulnerable

Your Larger Community

  • Form a banned book club
  • Frequent local small businesses and get to know the owners/staff
  • Cook or bake for local community gatherings or meetings
  • Volunteer in the local community (library, food bank, etc)
  • Donate to the food bank
  • Participate in free classes and training
  • Organize fundraisers for local organizations
  • Care for the homeless in your community

Schools:

  • Form a student group if you’re a student.
  • Get involved in the PTA if a parent.

Friends:

It is easy to get busy and let weeks go by without really doing things with your friends, especially in groups.

Finally, this article offers advice for folks who have moved to a new town, but for many of us who haven’t really interacted with our neighbors or coworkers much, we might as well be new to town, so these tips likely apply: https://capitolnorthamerican.com/how-to-make-friends-and-build-community-in-a-new-state/

2. Consider the Many Other Ways You Can Become a Community Builder or Activist

Here is a guide “Some Actions that are Not Protesting or Voting” adapted from a Frontline Medics resource with a long list of ways you can use your skills to contribute to and create a stronger community.

Examples include everything from donating to local groups, to starting child care collectives, pop-up clinics, or automotive repair clinics, or providing tenant support and rent strike organizing, and many more options varying wildly in skill, time and physical commitment.

3. Consider Joining the Humanist Society and (possibly) Universal Unitarian church. 

I know!  Me recommending UU is probably a shock to anyone who knows me, as I’m a pretty out atheist.

But like-minded community is important in times like this, UU is at least inclusive and progressive, and few organizations are as good at meeting regularly and, well, organizing as organized religions.  

First though, consider joining the The American Humanist Society.  As they state, they “work tirelessly in courts, legislatures, and communities to defend civil liberties, secular governance, and scientific integrity”.  This is not an “instead of religion” thing but aligns perfectly side-by-side with most religions.

Then, if it will benefit you and you’re not already committed to a conflicting religion, check out your nearest Universal Unitarian (UU) church and see if it offers anything valuable to you (even on a secular, non-religious level).

This may give you a like-minded, compassionate and supportive community to gather with every Sunday, where you can enjoy the better aspects of religious institutions without being hit too hard with the Bible or supernatural bits, or any GOP Jesus messaging.

More importantly, you can expand your network of like-minded folks, maybe make some new friends, and UU churches also often organize progressive community action.  And UU isn’t as bad about indoctrinating children as most religions from what I hear, though the usual cautions apply.

DAY 7: EXPLORE YOUR OPTIONS TO DEFEND SPECIFIC GROUPS BEING ATTACKED BY TRUMP AND PROJECT 2025

There are multiple groups especially vulnerable and under attack by Trump and the hate-mongers he is using as tools to get what he wants.

But there are also multiple organizations (listed below) fighting to protect these groups, and offering important information on rights and resources that may help you, or enable you to help others.  This is in addition to some of the resources in the Day 6 “Some Actions that are Not Protesting” guide above.

(I’ve chosen three sample groups under attack by Trump and Project 2025, but of course if you have other issues or groups that you care most about, the organizations fighting on their behalf are just a web search away).

So today, educate yourself on the resources and your options in defending these groups (and yourself if you are a member of one of these groups).

1) IMMIGRANTS, AND PROTECTING THEM/YOURSELF AGAINST ICE AND POLICE INTIMIDATION TACTICS

Wherever you stand on immigration, the tactics being figure-headed by Trump (architected by Stephen Miller) are illegal, immoral, and a dangerous slippery slope.  Raiding schools and churches.  Separating families.  Enabling the throwing of people in camps for nothing more than someone pointing a finger at them and claiming they are a criminal, without proof or due process.  We can do better.  We can be better.

a) Download and print out these Rights cards and Resource Kit, share and hand out.  These are for everyone, citizens or not.  They outline your Constitutional rights against illegal search, seizure or questioning, and can be handed to ICE or police officers as needed.  Print some out and put them in places you think folks need them.

b) Check out AOC’s Immigration Resource Hub: AOC has a ton of info and resources all gathered on her congressional website: https://ocasio-cortez.house.gov/services/immigration-know-your-rights

c) Explore Options to Support National and Local Action

Encourage your local governments to protect families in your community, and find out what plans they’ve made to address this issue (if you feel they can be trusted).

And check out organizations like the National Immigration Law Center.

d) If you choose, actively defend vulnerable immigrants

This is dependent of course on your physical proximity to these communities, and your comfort/ ability to physically and legally defend them.

Defend & Recruit offers a playbook and training on becoming an active defender.

And here is a Community Defense Zone Starter Guide to help create community-based sanctuaries.

2) LGBTQIA+ RIGHTS AND THE TREND OF ANTI-TRANS HATE

Even before this new slew of bad legislation, trans teens were among the highest in suicide rates, and trans women among the highest at risk for assaults and murder, particularly in the more conservative and religious areas.

Support of a trans person’s true identity and gender-affirming care are not only approved by psychologists and doctors, but is a consistently proven path to happy, healthy, fully-realized individuals.

But the anti-trans hate is just the first wave.  They are coming for marriage equality, and general protections of LGBTQ persons.

Support and Promote organizations fighting in support of the LGBTQ community, including:

Lambda Legal

PFLAG

Human Rights Campaign

Trevor Project (LGBTQ+ youth crisis line)

3) WOMEN’S HEALTHCARE AND RIGHTS

With the fallout of post-Roe laws and abuse, and the GOP/ Manosphere Handsmaid Tale brigade wanting to roll back society (and rights) to some imagined golden age of strict gender roles (and restrictions), furthering women’s reproductive health and protecting women’s rights has never felt so urgent.

Support and Promote organizations fighting in support of women’s health and rights, including:

ACLU

Planned Parenthood

National Black Women’s Reproductive Justice Agenda

Center for Reproductive Rights

In Summary:

Be prepared (to the extent you are able) to stand up to illegal searches, seizures, arrests and attacks, on yourself or others.

Call out the people who speak, act out or enable hate speech, hateful “jokes” and microaggressions, and bullying (educate if done in ignorance, shame and oppose if done with intent).

Support the organizations that defend the vulnerable communities you are focused on.

Above all, stay safe, and know you are not alone.

DAY 8: ACTIVELY ENGAGE WITH THE ALREADY-ORGANIZED RESISTANCE GROUPS

No need to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes the most effective thing you can do is join and support the organizations who already have the numbers and connections and know-how to fight for the issues you care about.

1. Find and join your local Indivisible group of organized political resistance.

If you want to be part of a larger coordinated resistance that is.  You can find your local group here: https://indivisible.org/organize-your-home-turf

2. Support Groups Taking Legal Action

Pick the ones you most want to support.  Support doesn’t have to be money, it could be your time, skills, or signal boosting etcetera (most sites have options for how you can help them).   Though money helps if you are able.

For the rest, they are good resources to check-in on for updates on the issues they are focused on, and what they are doing about them.

ACLU

Southern Poverty Law Center

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington

Environmental Defense Fund

Common Cause

DAY 8 (OPTIONALLY): FIND, PREPARE FOR AND JOIN PROTESTS.

If so inclined and able, find local groups organizing protests (or organize your own).

But if you do want to protest, first and foremost:

  • Know how to protest safely: https://www.nrdc.org/stories/how-protest-safely
  • Then, use the various organizations and community connections you’ve built up or prioritized in the previous days to find information on the protests that matter to you in your area.

Protesting can be a very satisfying, energizing and effective way to resist.

And protests can be especially effective in these early days to break through the perception that Trump’s moves are popular, or that nothing is being done about them.

Depending on the nature of the protest, it can also be scary to think of putting yourself in a situation where there is the possibility of police confrontation or violent anti-protestors or legal repercussions etc (though a well-organized protest plans so as to minimize such risks and cares for those concerns). That is totally valid and understandable. There is no shame if you don’t join these physical protests, there are lots of other equally or more important ways to resist.

Just to be fair, I’ll say be aware there is also mixed opinion on protesting.  Some feel it turns off the bigger tent of voters Democrats actually need to win to our side.  Or that it presents opportunities for bad actors to turn things violent.

Republicans certainly love to use every protest to distract their voters with fearmongering about the return of lawless ANTIFA and BLM hordes coming to burn down their town (e.g. every time the violent January 6th Insurrection is raised, MAGA immediately “whatabouts” the George Floyd and BLM “riots,” as if they are somehow equivalent in cause, intent, or moral rightness, not to mention accuracy of reporting, toting out the same couple pictures of something on fire).

 But protesting is a valid and important option to shine a light on issues and break through the distractions, to force the media, the public, and those in power to pay attention and have to speak to the issue rather than debating the Gulf of America name change yet again.

So do it safely, and with coordination.

DAY 9 (AND ONGOING): VOLUNTEER TO HELP THOSE PUT IN NEED

Checkout https://www.volunteermatch.org/

A lot of people will be in need under Trump: in need of housing, of food, of healthcare, of abuse shelters, of legal aid, of elder care, of disability care, of educational assistance, of transportation, and more.  This doesn’t have to be volunteering on political action. 

Don’t just focus on bringing the Republicans down, but also on lifting up those in need.

In fact, volunteering is actually proven in studies to be one of the best things you can do for your happiness and sense of well-being, even when the nation isn’t on fire.

And during these overwhelming times when it feels like we have no real control over what is going on, it can give you a sense of doing something concrete that makes a real, measurable difference in people’s lives every week.

It’s like that humanist saying: all we have is each other.

So today, check out Volunteermatch.org for a great way to find volunteer opportunities, both locally and virtually, for whatever cause or issue most moves you.

Or go directly to the Volunteer page of an organization you want to support.


DAY 10 (AND ONGOING): VOTE/ PROTEST WITH YOUR MONEY

Today, make a plan to divest yourself of products or companies that support Trump or Musk and what they are doing.  Perhaps cut out two-to-three products a week.  Transfer accounts, cancel subscriptions, delete apps, etcetera wherever possible.  Keep a list on your phone you can easily check before making purchases or reservations etc.

a) Make a list of products and companies you can boycott

For example, companies that donated to Trump, or advertise with his propaganda machines like Fox News, or bow to his hateful and racist policies.

Or any products or stock that are associated with Tesla, Starlink, or Musk’s other companies (if able).

And depending on the issues important to you, research which companies are causing harm rather than helping.

Here’s a list of top Trump donors: 

https://www.newsweek.com/american-businesses-supporting-donating-donald-trump-list-2027957

Musk tops the list of course with the $290 Million he spent to buy the presidency (quite the deal, apparently the United States costs a fraction of what it took to destroy Twitter).

Some other notables include:

  • Jimmy John’s: $3.1 million
  • Chevron: $2 million
  • ExxonMobil: $1 million
  • OpenAI: $1 million
  • Amazon: $1 million
  • Meta: $1 million
  • Uber: $1 million
  • PayPal: $250,000
  • Coca Cola: $250,000
  • Bayer: $1 million
  • Johnson & Johnson: $1 million
  • Goldman Sachs: $1 million

You should also of course do your own research into who donated to whom and why.

b) Make Your Boycott Noisy

Boycotts work when they are loud and sustained.

Companies likeTarget rolled back their DEI programs even before Trump’s anti-DEI hate spree because a bunch of asshats constantly harassed them, making stupid videos in their stores claiming they were supporting child molesters by displaying pride merch, and making other baseless and disgusting claims until Target decided it was not worth the hassle and gave in.

And let’s not forget all the transphobic stupidity and hate over Bud Light sending a single can of beer to Dylan Mulvaney with her face on it.

Product boycotts are effective, and the right has used them to promote harm and hate.

So let us use the power for good.

Post about your boycott online.  Send letters and complaints directly to those companies.  Constantly remind them of their shameful behavior or investments, and the costs of supporting hate and authoritarianism.

(ONGOING):BE ACTIVE IN VOTING AND MAYBE POLITICS

1. Vote in every election big or small. 

Even if you feel like your vote won’t matter, because you are in an area guaranteed to go one way or the other, the NUMBERS matter. 

When the Republicans expect to win an election or issue by a landslide and instead lose, or even squeak by, they panic.  Even if the result wasn’t in their district, it is a strong signal that there is some issue that, if they don’t do something different, could threaten the thing most important to them – holding onto power.

2. Grow/Support Local Progressive Governing.  Do whatever you have the time and ability to do to support local progressive leaders and legislation (donate, volunteer, fundraise, organize, lobby).  Find and join the local groups and organizations already doing so. 

3. Support Voting.  Participate in get out the vote efforts, send voter postcards, whatever you feel comfortable doing.

4. Download and read Indivisible’s Practical Guide to Democracy on the Brink:

If you want a comprehensive and wonky political guide to the resistance:

https://indivisible.org/resource/guide

5. Run for Local Office/ Positions Yourself.  If this is something youwant to do and are able to of course.

(ONGOING): HELP MAKE/KEEP YOUR WORKPLACE SAFE AND FAIR

If you work a job where this makes sense, join (or form) a union if possible.  Not only do unions largely back Democrats (especially if enough Democrat members join them) but they can help you fight to keep your workplace inclusive, and protect worker rights, whatever policies Trump passes.

And union or not, be vocal in supporting an inclusive and fair workplace. 

Seek out or form groups within your company to share your causes.  Women of ThisCompany group; LGBTQ of ThisCompany group, etc.

You can also check out resources like:

Also, here’s the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission page on Federal employees’ rights against being fired as retaliation: https://www.eeoc.gov/facts-about-retaliation

FINAL SUMMARY

Don’t get overwhelmed by the totality of everything happening and that might happen and all the distractions and every crazy comment by Trump.  Or by all the possible future paths.

First, take care of yourself, and find joy and comfort in friends, family (whatever that looks like for you), and community.

Focus on what you can control, here and now, and what is most important to you. 

Focus on what is having actual effects on you or those you care about, that impact the select and manageable number of issues or communities you have chosen to prioritize.  Then act on that, one action at a time, one day at a time.

And trust that there are others working toward the same goals, as well as focused on those issues and communities you did not prioritize.

And most of all, trust that we will win.  We have the numbers.  We have the moral and legal high ground.  We have each other.

Good luck.  Take care.  You are not alone in this.

THERAPY AND EMOTIONAL CRISIS RESOURCES

Just in case you ever need them, here are a handful of resources if you reach a place of emotional crisis:

Free/Low Cost Alternatives to Therapy (and some free online therapy options too):

Hopeful Panda 50 Alternatives: https://hopefulpanda.com/alternatives-to-therapy/

Free/ Low-Cost Therapy:

Open Counseling https://www.opencounseling.com/

  • Open Counseling has a great location based search function to help users find free/low cost therapy options that are available in their area.

TherapyTribe: LGBTribe https://support.therapytribe.com/lgbt-support-group/  (Must be 13 or older)

  • A site that fosters peer-to-peer support groups for members of the LGBTQ community. 

Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/

  • Crisis counseling for LGBTQ+ youth, as well as community chat options, with ability to quickly disconnect and close the page if needed

Finding someone better suited to you:

TherapyDen: https://www.therapyden.com/

  • TherapyDen is a progressive and inclusive national therapist directory that allows users to filtered options by speciality, insurance, cost, experience with care for specific communities, etc.   

Resources for Marginalized Communities

52 Mental Health Resources for People of Color, LGBTQ+, Disabled:

https://www.teenvogue.com/story/mental-health-resources-for-disabled-people-poc-lgbtq

  • Teen Vogue article with a master list of mental health resources for folks with marginalized identities.

About Therapy, and Alternatives to Talk Therapy

TherapyDen Beginners Guide to Therapy  https://www.therapyden.com/blog/a-beginners-guide-to-therapy-how-to-find-a-therapist

  • How to get started/ explore therapy options for the first time.  

50 Alternatives to Traditional Talk Therapy: The Ultimate List:

https://hopefulpanda.com/alternatives-to-therapy

  • If traditional talk therapy doesn’t sounds like the right resource for you, this list from HopefulPanda provides 50 various alternatives to therapy that you can utilize for your mental health needs.
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