Gen Z&Y on D&I: Choose Hope

As we reflect this week on the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., and celebrate a historic Presidential Inauguration, all on the heels of a polarizing four years, today, I choose hope.  

This sentiment was also shared by National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman as she recited, “The Hill We Climb” during the Presidential Inauguration. If you did not get a chance to experience it live, you can check it out here.  

As we relish in these moments of joy, unity and peace, we must also recognize and prepare ourselves for the coming days and months. Politics are polarizing, and our increasingly connected world can make it difficult to cope and create boundaries. Here are a few tips for how to keep a sane mind and protect your peace: 

Limit the amount of news you receive. 

There is a difference between being well–informed and information overload. At a time when you know that the news cycle will be full of potentially triggering reports, it may suit your mental health better to take some time away from the exposure. Alternatively, choose to follow positive news and sources that highlight the ‘good.’  

Face the facts. 

As difficult as it may be to deal with, we are living in a time where the FBI has to vet members of law enforcement and the military to ensure there is no one working against democracy to help domestic terrorists. This and other hard truths may be challenging to come to terms with; however, it is only by actively seeking reputable, non-biased sources that we can keep lies out of our decision-making.  

Choose hope. 

Inauguration week should be a time of joy, if not about the new administration, then for the American democracy at work. After such a polarizing and traumatizing last four years, I can only hope that you will join me in looking to the future with an optimistic lens.