Thank you for writing this. I needed it. It's amazing how quickly I can get sucked in, despite my best efforts not to. Time to reset my batteries to conserve my energy. Fwiw, I think I'll need to do more unplugging the closer we get to November.
Chris...this means a lot. Thank you for being here...and for keeping the lights on around this place.
And listen...the fact that you still get sucked in is exactly why I stopped paywalling it.
If the people genuinely trying can get pulled under...then it was never about willpower... it's the UNDERTOW. The machine is good at its job. You're NOT weak; you're up against something engineered.
You've already nailed the move, though: reset the batteries to conserve the energy. That's the WHOLE thing right there. You're not checking out...you're choosing where the charge goes.
You're dead right about November. The closer we get...the louder the machine gets..and the more deliberate you'll have to be about your window.
Don't wait until it's overwhelming to start unplugging...build the habit now...while it's still easy...so it holds when the pressure's on.
When my anxiety gets to be too much from reading the news feeds or watching the news and even reading Substack.. I go out checking on the chickens and gathering eggs. Cleaning the house cause I’ve got my Corgi who is blowing his coat and the Himalayan Main Coon cat with fur everywhere.. the unending laundry that is an every day chore.. then I sit crocheting a baby blanket for a friend who just became a dad. I have 3 other crochet projects in various stages of assembling. Then I get outside again just to breathe and sit in the sun. I play a Majong game on my phone. And I breathe deeply as much as I can. Yes I admit I do have horrible anxiety from a situation I almost didn’t survive.. but I’m still here. My Service Dog is always with me. He’s goofy and cute and is my constant shadow. I’m thankful.
You didn't just read it...you're LIVING the thing I was trying to describe...and you're doing it better than I wrote it.
Look at that list.
Chickens and eggs.
The Corgi blowing his coat all over a clean floor (I see you, fellow owner of a furry weather system).
The laundry that never ends.
A baby blanket for a brand-new dad, plus three more projects waiting their turn.
Sun on your face.
A deep breath.
A goofy shadow who never leaves your side.
That's not "distraction." That's a life...with both hands on it.
Every one of those things is something you can touch...AND...you've quietly built a whole world out of them...while the news was busy trying to drag you somewhere else.
About the part you almost didn't make it through...thank you for trusting me with that!
You're still here. You said it yourself, and I want you to hear it back: YOU'RE. STILL. HERE.
That's not small. That's EVERYTHING.
Give that constant shadow a scratch behind the ears from me. He's got good taste in people:)
Barbara...that right there is the best thing you could've told me...thank you.
This piece was always meant to travel friend-to-friend...because honestly...that's the only delivery system people actually trust anymore. Read that again.
A stranger on a screen...telling them to calm down...bounces right off.
You sending it...with your name on it...saying "hey, this might help"...THAT gets through the door.
So...thank you for being the one who passed it along.
I hope it gives your friends a little room to breathe.
And...keep an eye on your own batteries...too...while you're busy looking out for everyone else's.
The people who carry the ropes for OTHERS... are usually the last to notice their own hands are raw.
Lori...music and humor. Now you're talking my language, friend.
There's a reason those two work...when NOTHING else will; you can't be clenched up with dread...and genuinely laughing at the same time. You just can't.
The body won't let you do both. A good song and a good laugh...do...in three minutes ...what an hour of arguing in the comments never could.
Glad you've found your way back to the things that make you...YOU.
Gary...thank you. That's a generous thing to say, and I'll try to keep earning it.
But...I'll let you in on something: the reminders aren't just for you. I write these as much to keep myself honest as anything. I get sucked in too.
The difference...is I've decided to say it OUT LOUD...instead of pretending I'm above it... and it turns out that's the part people actually find useful.
Nobody trusts the guy who claims he never wobbles.
So...we'll keep reminding each other. That's how it works. None of us holds the line alone.
I'm honored to make the list, though I'd gently steer you away from the tattoo...1,200 words is a lot of arm...and you'd have to stand very still...for a very long time;)
The pillow, though? The pillow I fully endorse. Nothing says "I've made peace with the news cycle" like throwing a cushion that reads "You are not informed, you are hooked" onto the couch...where you USED to doomscroll.
Pin it...share it...stitch it...whatever makes it stick.
The whole point...is to have the reminder waiting for you...BEFORE the undertow grabs you...not after.
Thank you, as always...for being here. Now...go find a bulletin board:)
Jack - Reading your emails has been life changing for me during this chaotic time in American history. I have learned so much from you about patterns,orientation,and factual clarity. The emotional piece about anxiety was the missing link although I have been trying to think my way through it. Thanks for these helpful guidelines to maintain my sanity and health. Jay
Jay...this one I'm going to sit with for a while. Thank you.
And...you put your finger on something I want to underline...because it's the EXACT thing that trips up the sharpest readers: you cannot THINK your way out of anxiety.
You've got the PATTERNS down. You've got the ORIENTATION...the FACTUAL clarity...you've done the hard intellectual work...most people SKIP.
But...anxiety doesn't live in the part of you that reasons. It lives in the BODY. In the shoulders...the gut...the clenched jaw.
That's why all that good thinking...kept coming up a little short...you were bringing a brilliant map to a fistfight.
That's what the emotional piece was reaching for. Not to REPLACE the clear thinking...but to give it a body CALM enough...to actually use it.
The fact that the two clicked together for you...the clarity and the calm...tells me you're going to come through this stretch steadier than most.
That's the WHOLE goal. Not numb. Not checked out. Just steady enough...to keep seeing straight...when everything around you...is built to blur your vision.
Jack, thank you for the tough love. I, like so many others, need this.
It’s funny…. T 1.0 triggered some old trauma and I was quite anxious, became a news fiend, checked often, stayed up until the wee hours - then came four years of calm. Shoulders came down, breathing relaxed, anxiety eased, it felt like life again….. it was easy to tell myself enough plus the news was kinda boring in a normal way. There wasn’t the ever present thought of ‘what fresh new hell awaits’ and now…. the checking is back. It’s a bit easier this time (most days) because I’ve worked on the underlying trauma but….. if I’m not 100%, it gets dicey.
I am very grateful you wrote this. Well-timed and very helpful. Thanks again.
This is great! To be honest, your other pieces have been so helpful in focusing our attention on signals and patterns rather than the emotional hooks that many news sources throw at us, that I am already benefiting from letting “stuff” go and looking to understand the bigger picture and how I can proceed. I am truly thankful for that!
Thank you for writing this. I needed it. It's amazing how quickly I can get sucked in, despite my best efforts not to. Time to reset my batteries to conserve my energy. Fwiw, I think I'll need to do more unplugging the closer we get to November.
Thanks again. #HoldFast
Chris...this means a lot. Thank you for being here...and for keeping the lights on around this place.
And listen...the fact that you still get sucked in is exactly why I stopped paywalling it.
If the people genuinely trying can get pulled under...then it was never about willpower... it's the UNDERTOW. The machine is good at its job. You're NOT weak; you're up against something engineered.
You've already nailed the move, though: reset the batteries to conserve the energy. That's the WHOLE thing right there. You're not checking out...you're choosing where the charge goes.
You're dead right about November. The closer we get...the louder the machine gets..and the more deliberate you'll have to be about your window.
Don't wait until it's overwhelming to start unplugging...build the habit now...while it's still easy...so it holds when the pressure's on.
Go take the walk. I'll be here.
#HoldFast
-Jack
When my anxiety gets to be too much from reading the news feeds or watching the news and even reading Substack.. I go out checking on the chickens and gathering eggs. Cleaning the house cause I’ve got my Corgi who is blowing his coat and the Himalayan Main Coon cat with fur everywhere.. the unending laundry that is an every day chore.. then I sit crocheting a baby blanket for a friend who just became a dad. I have 3 other crochet projects in various stages of assembling. Then I get outside again just to breathe and sit in the sun. I play a Majong game on my phone. And I breathe deeply as much as I can. Yes I admit I do have horrible anxiety from a situation I almost didn’t survive.. but I’m still here. My Service Dog is always with me. He’s goofy and cute and is my constant shadow. I’m thankful.
Morgan...this whole comment is the article.
You didn't just read it...you're LIVING the thing I was trying to describe...and you're doing it better than I wrote it.
Look at that list.
Chickens and eggs.
The Corgi blowing his coat all over a clean floor (I see you, fellow owner of a furry weather system).
The laundry that never ends.
A baby blanket for a brand-new dad, plus three more projects waiting their turn.
Sun on your face.
A deep breath.
A goofy shadow who never leaves your side.
That's not "distraction." That's a life...with both hands on it.
Every one of those things is something you can touch...AND...you've quietly built a whole world out of them...while the news was busy trying to drag you somewhere else.
About the part you almost didn't make it through...thank you for trusting me with that!
You're still here. You said it yourself, and I want you to hear it back: YOU'RE. STILL. HERE.
That's not small. That's EVERYTHING.
Give that constant shadow a scratch behind the ears from me. He's got good taste in people:)
#HoldFast
-Jack
Thanks for your insight. I’ve sent this to a few friends whose live have become consumed by what is happening.
Barbara...that right there is the best thing you could've told me...thank you.
This piece was always meant to travel friend-to-friend...because honestly...that's the only delivery system people actually trust anymore. Read that again.
A stranger on a screen...telling them to calm down...bounces right off.
You sending it...with your name on it...saying "hey, this might help"...THAT gets through the door.
So...thank you for being the one who passed it along.
I hope it gives your friends a little room to breathe.
And...keep an eye on your own batteries...too...while you're busy looking out for everyone else's.
The people who carry the ropes for OTHERS... are usually the last to notice their own hands are raw.
#HoldFast
-Jack
Always sound information Jack. I’ve gotten back to doing things that make me happy. Music & humor helps.
Lori...music and humor. Now you're talking my language, friend.
There's a reason those two work...when NOTHING else will; you can't be clenched up with dread...and genuinely laughing at the same time. You just can't.
The body won't let you do both. A good song and a good laugh...do...in three minutes ...what an hour of arguing in the comments never could.
Glad you've found your way back to the things that make you...YOU.
Keep the volume up.
#HoldFast
-Jack
Thank you Jack. We all need the occasional reminder. It's more powerful coming from someone who's rational, knowledgeable and aware.
Gary...thank you. That's a generous thing to say, and I'll try to keep earning it.
But...I'll let you in on something: the reminders aren't just for you. I write these as much to keep myself honest as anything. I get sucked in too.
The difference...is I've decided to say it OUT LOUD...instead of pretending I'm above it... and it turns out that's the part people actually find useful.
Nobody trusts the guy who claims he never wobbles.
So...we'll keep reminding each other. That's how it works. None of us holds the line alone.
#HoldFast
-Jack
Another one to print out, pin to a bulletin board, share with friends, embroider on a pillow, tattoo on an arm ... thank you, Jack, as always.
Roberta...Ha!
I'm honored to make the list, though I'd gently steer you away from the tattoo...1,200 words is a lot of arm...and you'd have to stand very still...for a very long time;)
The pillow, though? The pillow I fully endorse. Nothing says "I've made peace with the news cycle" like throwing a cushion that reads "You are not informed, you are hooked" onto the couch...where you USED to doomscroll.
Pin it...share it...stitch it...whatever makes it stick.
The whole point...is to have the reminder waiting for you...BEFORE the undertow grabs you...not after.
Thank you, as always...for being here. Now...go find a bulletin board:)
#HoldFast
-Jack
Jack - Reading your emails has been life changing for me during this chaotic time in American history. I have learned so much from you about patterns,orientation,and factual clarity. The emotional piece about anxiety was the missing link although I have been trying to think my way through it. Thanks for these helpful guidelines to maintain my sanity and health. Jay
Jay...this one I'm going to sit with for a while. Thank you.
And...you put your finger on something I want to underline...because it's the EXACT thing that trips up the sharpest readers: you cannot THINK your way out of anxiety.
You've got the PATTERNS down. You've got the ORIENTATION...the FACTUAL clarity...you've done the hard intellectual work...most people SKIP.
But...anxiety doesn't live in the part of you that reasons. It lives in the BODY. In the shoulders...the gut...the clenched jaw.
That's why all that good thinking...kept coming up a little short...you were bringing a brilliant map to a fistfight.
That's what the emotional piece was reaching for. Not to REPLACE the clear thinking...but to give it a body CALM enough...to actually use it.
The fact that the two clicked together for you...the clarity and the calm...tells me you're going to come through this stretch steadier than most.
That's the WHOLE goal. Not numb. Not checked out. Just steady enough...to keep seeing straight...when everything around you...is built to blur your vision.
Grateful you're here, Jay. Keep holding the line!
#HoldFast
-Jack
Can I touch it is a great test! Otherwise it’s like playing solitaire till dawn with a deck of 51…
Kimberly..."a deck of 51" is going in my back pocket...I'm stealing that one clean:)
That's EXACTLY it, though.
You can play that game with total focus...and total effort...ALL night long...and the one card you actually need was NEVER in the deck to begin with.
All that energy...REAL energy...poured into something that could not have paid off...no matter how well you played it.
That's most political worry in a nutshell. It's not that people aren't trying HARD enough. They're trying brilliantly...at a hand that CAN'T be won.
"Can I touch it?" just checks whether the card's in the deck...BEFORE you sit down to play.
Glad it landed for you!
#HoldFast
-Jack
Jack, thank you for the tough love. I, like so many others, need this.
It’s funny…. T 1.0 triggered some old trauma and I was quite anxious, became a news fiend, checked often, stayed up until the wee hours - then came four years of calm. Shoulders came down, breathing relaxed, anxiety eased, it felt like life again….. it was easy to tell myself enough plus the news was kinda boring in a normal way. There wasn’t the ever present thought of ‘what fresh new hell awaits’ and now…. the checking is back. It’s a bit easier this time (most days) because I’ve worked on the underlying trauma but….. if I’m not 100%, it gets dicey.
I am very grateful you wrote this. Well-timed and very helpful. Thanks again.
Worked in my little bitty yard today.
Not for very long, but it was tangible and glorious.
Lizards, baby toad, and OH, the birds.
And yes, bare feet in grass. Well, clover, which is just that much better.
I have some man(or)men-with-truck jobs next but they can wait, cuz yeah,
Clover.
#HoldFast
This is great! To be honest, your other pieces have been so helpful in focusing our attention on signals and patterns rather than the emotional hooks that many news sources throw at us, that I am already benefiting from letting “stuff” go and looking to understand the bigger picture and how I can proceed. I am truly thankful for that!