A.C. Brooke

Put Your Life Vest On First

I wanted to share something that intersects with both Suicide Prevention Month and our current landscape as a country after flying back home on 9/11 in the wake of a very publicized assassination. While abroad, I was lucky enough to connect with people from all over the world. Something asked several times in respect to our political climate was what it’s like living in the US. This is not a direct answer—nor a commentary on current events—but it is an approach I’ve shared that people seem to connect with, so I hope it lands here.

I suspect the constant barrage of largely negative news is inflicting learned helplessness on an intergenerational scale. You see something horrible, feel like you can’t do anything about it (or try and subsequently see your efforts fail), and internalize feelings of despair, powerlessness and rage as a result. We weren’t built for our current infrastructure, but you can’t really—ethically, I think—opt out of being a global citizen, either. So what do you do?

Put your own life vest on first—you can’t save anyone else while still drowning. Balance being informed with maintaining your own wellbeing. Then, focus on showing up in your own life in a way that suits you. Most of my altruistic energy is dedicated to advocating for trauma and systemic change, which comes out in smaller, interpersonal ways (like conversations) and more tangible actions (like doing a CEU for Paper Birds). It’s something I’m good at that empowers me and nourishes others, and is how I’m most effective.

Performative activism has created pressure to know about every horrible thing happening and to do or say something about it. This is not realistic or useful. And while it’s a privilege to be able to pull back, shaming people for possessing it doesn’t help—encouraging and showing them how to utilize it, does. We all have unique strengths and passions, and I think focusing on harnessing that—in addition to participating in civic responsibilities (voting, petitions, volunteering)—is how we create substantial, sustainable change, and restore agency. So to everyone who wants to make a difference but feels overwhelmed with the ‘how’: Step back, start small, and go from there.

Below you can find a link to JustServe, where you can type in your zip code to find volunteer opportunities near you and pick one that suits your capacity if you so choose. This is deserving of a deeper discussion with more nuance, but alas, I’m stealing from my Instagram where there are character limits. Hope is always alive. If you can’t see it, create it.