Tend the Part of the Garden You Can Reach
I've been repeating this phrase to myself lately.
Because right now, in the United States, the ground feels shaky. The news cycle is relentless. The political climate is volatile. And for those of us who are deeply empathetic, highly sensitive, or neurodivergent, staying informed can feel like trying to drink from a firehose while also trying to parent, work, and be a person.
Many of us are carrying a level of compartmentalization that feels… superhuman.
And if that’s you, I want to say this clearly:
You’re not weird. You’re not failing. You’re having a sane response to an insane circumstance.
And still — we don’t want to disappear from the world we’re trying to shape. We want to stay in relationship with what’s happening, without letting it consume us.
This newsletter is about how.
**If you feel like you are in danger, like you're afraid to go to work, school, or get groceries…this email is likely not for you. It's for those of us committed to continuing to beat the drum for the change you need, so that we don't lose momentum.
🧠 Why Sensitive and Neurodivergent People Feel This So Intensely
Some of us don’t have the luxury of “just not thinking about it.” Our nervous systems don’t work that way.
We absorb emotional tone like a sponge.
We track patterns and threats automatically.
We feel the moral weight of injustice in our bodies.
We can’t un-know what we know.
This isn’t a flaw — it’s a form of intelligence. But it does mean we need intentional practices to stay informed without burning out.
🌼 Staying Informed Without Losing Yourself
Here are a few grounding principles:
1. Choose your sources, not the algorithm.
Pick 1–2 trusted sources and check them intentionally, not reactively. This protects your nervous system from the chaos of doomscrolling.
2. Set a “news window.”
Ten minutes in the morning? Ten minutes in the evening? Containment is not avoidance — it’s stewardship.
3. Counterbalance the emotional weight.
I usually like to learn in my free time, but currently…this isn't the case. I consciously decided the other day to counterbalance the emotional weight with some tomfoolery (I know it sounds weird, but it's working) and started listening to the podcast, Who Shat on the Floor at My Wedding?, instead of my typical educational podcasts. NOT in an effort to AVOID what's happening, but to give my mind a break and myself a laugh (so funny), so I have the energy to continue engaging and don't shut down.
At a time like this, it's helpful to remember that tomfoolery exists…if you have that luxury. I know some of you do not.
4. Remember: you’re not meant to hold the whole world.
You’re meant to hold your world — your family, your community, your sphere of influence.
That’s the garden you can reach.
🌻 Action Is the Antidote to Despair
You'll not likely be able to self-care your way out of despair if current events have you feeling hopeless and helpless. When the world feels overwhelming, taking even a tiny action can help tremendously.
A few simple, high-impact actions you can take today:
Call your Senators - Sharon McMahon has made this super simple and even includes a script if you want it. It took me 4 minutes to complete: sharonmcmahon.com/act
Sign up for text alerts from a trusted civic educator.
Gather with like-minded people
Support local organizations doing on-the-ground work.
Share accurate information with your community.
Bake a pie for someone who needs a pick-me-up.
Talk to your kids about what’s happening (more on that below).
Keep up the great parenting. Don't forget that raising kind, empathetic humans is BIG ACTION. Give yourself major credit if you're a parent :)
You don’t have to do everything. You just have to do something.
🌳 How to Talk to Kids and Teens About What’s Happening
Kids don’t need us to pretend everything is fine. They need us to help them make sense of what’s happening.
Here’s a simple framework:
Truth + Context + Agency
Truth
Share the facts plainly and calmly. Kids — especially teens — can handle the truth.
Context
Explain why it matters in a way that’s age-appropriate. This prevents them from filling in the gaps with something scarier.
Agency
Tell them what we can do. Kids feel safer when they know the adults have a plan.
What teens especially need
Teens don’t need protection from the truth. They need protection from interpretation without support — meaning they shouldn’t be left alone to make sense of frightening events.
You can say things like:
“This is not normal, and it’s okay to feel unsettled.”
“Here’s what’s happening, and here’s what it means.”
“Here’s what we’re doing to stay safe.”
“We are paying attention. If the plan needs to change, we'll let you know.”
“You can ask me anything, anytime.”
This is how we raise informed, resilient young adults who don’t shut down or check out when the world gets hard.
🌾 Tending Your Garden Is Enough
You don’t have to fix a whole country. You don’t have to carry every headline. You don’t have to be on high alert every minute (unless, of course, you do).
You are allowed to be human.
Tend the part of the garden you can reach:
Your home
Your kids
Your community
Your voice
Your vote
Your daily rituals
Your nervous system
When enough of us tend our small plots, the landscape changes.
And that is enough.
