Slowing the Spiral

6/20/25

Recently, doing anything other than just filling my days with as much action, learning, and community as I can makes me spiral. Sitting and thinking hasn’t been my friend. If I sit I feel I need to be learning or making something to make it worthwhile. Watching an episode of Dr Who a night has been helping relax for a bit, but overall everything is a lot. Which obviously doesn’t make me special, especially in times like these.

Staying off mainstream social media still helps, but still the absolute BS seeps through. Listening to anyone who is ignorant to, or worse, supporting whats going on is very disheartening for me. I try to not even take in the things that make me feel so discouraged. Its hardest with family or IRL situations, though. Whether uninformed or falling for red herrings, I don’t know how to help them see whats happening.

I guess that's not my job? I can say or do everything I feel will get them to understand, but I will always be wrong to most of my relatives. When they use an AI chatbot to get the “research” an issue, are they worth sharing information with? Is there any point in even trying anymore with them?

I’ve figured leading by example is the best option. I’m vegan, no corporate social media, shopping mostly secondhand, shopping local, aware of current events, etc. etc. etc. While people praise my willpower, that seems to be as far as most go. Most except for a select few closest friends and family. They really have taken what I say into account, and I can be my full self around them. I try to spend most of my time with them to feel more supported and considered. If this is all I can do, so be it. These close friends all take what I say, consider what I said when forming their opinion, and expand upon these ideas in their own way. We’re then collaborating on the idea!? What!? So long with people who don’t consider me made me forget how GOOD it feels. My sister has a yard that we are going to be planting native plants, she’s limiting social media more, and considering how much meat she eats. My other sister is shopping only second hand clothes now, my OTHER sister (I have a lot of siblings hehe) is also considering how much meat she eats, and her guy is able to talk to me about current events while being informed.

I have been to some group events where I am able to speak with people who have some of the same goals as me. These events are important so I don’t feel like the world is a monolith against me. It makes me feel more connected to the world in general and give me courage to keep existing.

THIS is the point. Not worrying about everyone who isn’t listening to me and trying to convince them 1 on 1, but sharing my ideas with those who respect my stance enough to create a ripple effect. While the world is telling us there is only one right way to do things, we can show within our own small circles that that isn’t true.

We can slow the decent down the spiral if we keep in mind why we are doing this and try to surround ourselves with people who try to understand.