For me, seeking out news about successful actions and reading essays by thoughtful, determined writers helps keep me focused on the possibilities for making our country stronger and better.
The Good news link in the main menu lists some of the latest encouraging stories.
Successes
It's hard to push for change if you feel like your efforts don't make any difference.
The thing is, there are a lot of good things happening - big successes and little ones - that are happening because someone took a stand, or spoke up, or got together with other folks to demand change.
There are successes in the courts. There are successes at the state level and in our cities.
Reading about the good things reminds me that we CAN make a difference - that we DO make a difference.
The best sources I've found so far for good news are
- Extra, Extra! - weekly updates about good news and successes
- the Americans of Conscience emails include good news and successes along with their suggested actions to take
In addition, several of the writers in the Recommended reading section mention encouraging news when they come across it - especially Today's Edition by Robert Hubbell.
Encouraging words
I know a lot of people who look around at the chaos and destruction and think there's no hope.
It's hard to hold on to hope when so much is at risk and when so much has been broken.
But as long as we live, there's always some hope.
Recent history (going back even as far as the fight to secure voting rights for women) is helpful here. Millions of people worked for decades to create change - whether it was voting rights for women, voting rights for Blacks, greater rights for people with disabilities, human rights and civil rights for LGBTQ+ folks, real action to address the climate emergency - any of the long-term struggles for progress of the past century or two. Change takes time - and that's incredibly frustrating when people's lives are at stake, when we really don't have the luxury of time.
But it's important to recognize that even though change can be hard, it's not impossible, and even though it may take far too long, that doesn't mean it will never come.
I've found some writers who help me remember the reasons for hope. They seem to understand the value of seeking out encouraging news while still being clear-eyed about the dangers the country is facing.
Reading these writers helps me remember the decades and centuries of positive change, the millions of people who have made it happen, and the possibilities for our own future - the positive changes that may be ahead, if we put in some time and effort to make them happen.
Here are the writers I read who reinforce my sense of hope:
- Meditations in an Emergency - Rebecca Solnit
- Letters from an American - Heather Cox Richardson
- Today's Edition - Robert Hubbell
Many of the other writers in the Recommended reading section keep me encouraged. I recommend checking out some of their articles to see which ones help keep you focused and positive.
