Taking a Break to Breathe in the Midst of the Noise: Self-Care for Activists
If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don't hesitate. Give in to it. There are plenty of lives and whole towns destroyed or about to be. We are not wise, and not very often kind. And much can never be redeemed. Still, life has some possibility left. Perhaps this is its way of fighting back, that sometimes something happens better than all the riches or power in the world. It could be anything, but very likely you notice it in the instant when love begins. Anyway, that's often the case. Anyway, whatever it is, don't be afraid of its plenty. Joy is not made to be a crumb.
Devotions by Mary Oliver
Taking a Break to Breathe in the Midst of the Noise: Self-Care for Activists: News and Social Media Boundaries During Election Season…and Always
We’re living in this weird, surreal moment, right? The world is at our fingertips 24/7—historically unprecedented access to all the highs and lows of humanity. One minute you’re reading about wildfires or another human rights disaster, and the next a video of a baby sloth hanging on for dear life while learning to climb pops up on your feed. It’s this bizarre blend of beauty, absurdity, and terror that makes life feel surreal. And through all this, we still have to, you know, live. Bills, relationships, grocery lists, making plans for the weekend. Life goes on, even when the world feels like it's on fire, and sometimes it’s hard to know where to focus your energy.
As a therapist in Oakland and Berkeley, CA I work with activists, politically-minded people, and people in general who genuinely gives a damn. For my clients, the tension between staying informed and staying sane is real. You care, deeply. The issues—racism, environmental collapse, inequality, LGBTQ+ rights—aren’t abstract concepts. They’re real, they’re urgent, and they demand attention. But here’s the kicker: you’re not a machine. You can’t keep absorbing all the world’s horrors without some serious consequences for your mental health. Constant engagement with the news, social media, and political discourse can wear you down in a way that makes burnout not just possible, but inevitable.
Taking a break isn’t about abandoning the cause or pretending everything’s fine. It’s about self-preservation. You can’t pour from an empty cup, and if your emotional reserves are drained, your activism will suffer. Stepping away from the chaos to reconnect with joy, creativity, and life’s lighter moments isn’t selfish—it’s strategic. Whether it’s a weekend off-grid, a social media detox, or just deliberately watching cute animal videos for a few hours, those breaks give you space to breathe, reset, and come back to the fight with more clarity and resilience.
And here’s a real plot twist: that nagging voice that tells you you can’t afford to take a break? That’s the same toxic individualism we’re all fighting against. It’s this insidious belief that the weight of the world rests on your shoulders alone—that if you step back for even a second, everything will collapse. But that’s not the community-centered, collective care we’re fighting for, is it? Activism is about showing up for each other, building systems of support, and working together to create change. The idea that you have to keep going at all costs, never resting, never stepping away, is the very mindset we’re trying to dismantle. Taking a break is an act of resistance against that toxic grind culture. It’s saying, "I trust that others are holding the line while I recharge," and knowing that your wellbeing is a part of the bigger picture. Rest is radical, and we all need it if we’re going to create the world we’re dreaming of.
Here’s the thing: the world’s not going anywhere. The work will still be there when you’re ready to jump back in. And, believe it or not, sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is allow yourself to be a human being who experiences joy, laughter, and rest. We need the activists who dance, who make memes, who find beauty even in the absurdity, because those moments of light fuel our collective strength.
So, when the newsfeed feels like a firehose of doom, maybe close the app for a minute. Go hug a friend, make a playlist of nostalgic jams, bake something weird, or just binge some wholesome content. The work will still be waiting when you’re ready, but you’ll show up better for it after a break
