Staying Positive: A Few Thoughts for Today
Howdy
I imagine many of you feel the same way I do—alone, even when surrounded by friends or trusted groups. I wake up every day thinking, *please don’t let anything awful happen tonight.* And I go to bed listening to a podcast that shares good news about this or that, only to be reminded of the discouraging article I just read or heard. It feels like these days are stuck on repeat, playing the same exhausting tune over and over again.
Still, there are moments—little joyous bubbles—that keep me going. Whether it’s getting lost in a book, laughing at something my dog does, soaking in nature’s beauty, taking pictures, or yelling at the TV because *Mario Kart victory is non-negotiable* (no exceptions). These escapes are small but powerful reminders that joy can still be found in the chaos, stay in those moments. Stay in those moments with your kids and your family. Stay in those moments so you don’t wish later that you would have spent more time and poured more love into the people and the things that bring you joy.
Like many of you, I feel the need to stay informed—to know what’s happening and ensure I’m not missing anything. Sometimes that constant stream of news makes me feel like a crazy person because the anger and frustration over what’s happening can be overwhelming. For me, it all came to a head one Friday afternoon. I’d been in meetings all day and finally caught up on the news—the behavior I saw coming from the United States broke me in half. I was embarrassed, angry, sad… shattered. That was my breaking point. Maybe you’ve had your own moment like that—a time you remember as vividly as I do.
Thankfully, with the support of my wife and a good friend, I started making changes to reduce my anxiety. I began pulling myself away from negativity, letting go of what I couldn’t control, and focusing on what I *could* do. These days, I pour myself into photography, books, exercise, work, time with friends and family—anything that grounds me. My routine helps me stay steady: wake up, catch a quick podcast to see if anything catastrophic happened overnight (because let’s face it—sometimes 3 a.m. tweets fueled by McCheeseBacons can set the tone for the day). Some days the “theme” is harmless—like “President Trump wants paper straws banned.” (I mean despite killing turtles he’s at least not putting us on the brink of a war with <insert country here>) Other days… well… waking up to hundreds dead in Gaza hits differently.
I try to limit social media during work hours and instead put on something calming—like European bike races on Peacock (I’m currently on Stage 7 of Nice). Afternoons are for creative outlets: working on logos for this project, photography, stand-up comedy specials, music, writing—anything that lets me express myself. And at night? The Daily Beans podcast is my go-to because they always end with good news. Then I dive into whatever fiction book I’m in (right now it’s “The Covenant of Water”.
This isn’t easy. It isn’t fun. And no—it isn’t normal. But we have to stay the course and cause good trouble wherever we can. For Ethan and me—and everyone else contributing to this project—it’s about creating an outlet where we can stay informed while also paying it forward to organizations that need help. Ethan deserves so much credit for proposing this idea and rallying us together. It’s given us a way to keep our sense of humor while doing something meaningful with the proceeds.
If even five people see one of our shirts and it makes them think—even if it makes them angry or upset—we’ve done our job. Because when people feel something… they’re thinking. And when they’re thinking… they’re questioning how we got here and how we can turn things around.
Most of us aren’t elected officials—but we *can* find ways to get in front of them and continue resisting. Then rinse and repeat.
Stay strong out there. Elbows Up
Jenny