Our Chaotic World: They Told Me You Can’t Change How You Feel Overnight—Then I Showed Them This…

The Jack Hopkins Now Newsletter #345

How to Rapidly Shift Your Beliefs and Double Your Resilience Overnight

Let’s be honest: these are not normal times. Political chaos. Disinformation. Erosion of rights. Many people are feeling overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unsure how to stay grounded.

But there’s good news: the key to resilience isn’t just about what happens in the world. It’s about how your beliefs shape your experience of it.

You can—literally—shift what you believe, how you see challenges, and how you respond. Fast. This isn’t toxic positivity. It’s about learning how to change the mental lens you’re using, so you can stay centered, strong, and effective.

Now, if "doubling your resilience overnight" sounds like hyperbole, consider this:

Arthur C. Clarke once said that "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

When you understand the principles behind how beliefs shape perception—and how quickly the brain can reorganize meaning—it doesn’t sound like magic anymore.

It becomes a strategy. One that can feel miraculous in its effects. But it only feels unbelievable until you experience it for yourself.

Here are five simple but powerful strategies to shift your beliefs and double your resilience, starting right now:

1. Zoom In or Zoom Out (Change the Scope)

When a political event or news story feels overwhelming…check your mental zoom level. Are you way too zoomed in on one piece of the puzzle—a headline…a social media post…or a comment from a friend?

Do this:

Ask yourself, "What am I not seeing yet?" Then zoom out. Look at the bigger picture. See this moment in the context of history…movements, or even just your week.

Most emotional reactions come from being stuck in too narrow a scope.

Zooming out makes room for perspective. Zooming in helps when things feel too vague or massive—focus on one action you can take today.

This simple mental shift gives you immediate relief and puts you back in control of your attention.

Example:

Imagine someone closes one eye and looks through the cardboard tube of an empty paper towel roll.

All they see is a skull on the wall—it looks ominous…eerie…maybe even dangerous. But when they pull the tube away and open both eyes…they suddenly realize they were only seeing a tiny part of the picture.

The skull is actually part of a cartoon playing on a television screen…where a character is decorating for Halloween—their favorite time of year.

What once felt creepy and threatening becomes joyful and funny. The fear vanishes… not because the world changed…but because their view of it expanded.

When you’re zoomed in too tight, your whole world can become a “skeleton,” and make things seem far worse than they are.

Case Study:

Sarah, a teacher, found herself spiraling after every news alert about political unrest. She felt hopeless and small. After learning to "zoom out," she began reading broader historical context on democratic movements.

She reminded herself that change often takes time. She also zoomed in to focus on civic education in her own classroom. The combination helped her feel purposeful again instead of overwhelmed.