Journal #6: My new "optimism project"
Realized today that my habit of endless scrolling gets worse whenever I'm anxious. I try reducing my anxiety in the same place I got it from, and through the same means. Instead of doomscrolling, I'm "bloomscrolling". It's like chasing a shot of pure vodka with something sweet—I'll still be feeling sick either way, and what I really need is a plain glass of water.
In any case, I rely on other people to tell me that it's going to be okay, whether that's journalists writing about good news, political pundits, or random commenters denouncing doomposts on Reddit. Even though it "feels" better, I'm still perpetuating the same unhealthy habits, i.e.: compulsive social media consumption, an inability to think for myself, and a lack of awareness to step back and unplug.
I feel like I need to develop an arsenal of things to tell myself when I worry about a particular issue. This would require me to do actual research instead of banking on social media. If I had an emergency supply of hope and optimism with which to soothe myself, I'd be more likely to step back into the meatspace, too, instead of wasting time online.
Topics in question I'll be looking for bloom-pilled content on:
- US government withstanding second Trump term
- Historical evidence of previous internal strife
- Modern examples of dictatorship to see where America may be more resilient than other countries
- State news; thankfully I live in Illinois
- Local news/action; my immediate area is purple-to-red, though there are local Dems, and trans support groups, to turn to
- Climate change
- Local solutions and legislation
- Get back into the Citizen's Climate Lobby
- Continue working toward a low waste/zero waste lifestyle
- Get into gardening come springtime
- Social media toxicity
- Advocate for decentralized and federated sites
- Devote myself to positivity elsewhere
- Be selective in where I spend my time online
- Spend more time in meatspace
I think I'll create "weekly reviews" highlighting the positive/optimistic things I've looked at.
✘ Posted on — 12/13/24
✘ Last modified — 9 months, 3 weeks