FIVE WAYS TO STAY POSITIVE & MOTIVATED IN TOUGH TIMES
CHANGE YOUR NEWS HABITS!
We are what we read! In talking to our volunteers, a key factor that discourages and can demotivate is the negativity of the mainstream news. Over the last several years, the news media, under increasing competition, has resorted to focusing extensively on negative news stories which motivate more clicks and eyeballs than positive, or even realistic, news articles. We at IndiMarin highly recommend any or all of the following Substack authors for a more realistic, and hopeful, take on the news and political dynamics of the day:
o Simon Rosenberg, the analyst who debunked the red wave in 2022
o Robert Hubbell, a former attorney who started writing his daughters about the day’s news through a “lens of hope” right after Trump was elected. His newsletter, Today’s Edition, is now read by more than 100,000 Americans daily
o Jessica Craven, a grassroots organizer whose weekday newsletter provides easy, effective political actions to take to stave off despair, effect positive change and elect more Democrats.
STAY ENGAGED IN COMMUNITY - A SENSE OF “BELONGING” IS A KEY MOTIVATOR
o Check the IndiMarin calendar for opportunities to gather with like-minded people over a virtual glass of wine or in-person over coffee as we write postcards. Together we stay stronger!
o Reach out to your own circle of friends and try to bring some of them into our community of people taking action! It’s a very rewarding feeling to draw in a new volunteer. Sign up for our Plus One program to get started.
USE YOUR IMAGINATION, CREATIVITY - AND THE INDIMARIN WEBSITE - TO STAY ENGAGED
It’s easy to get into a rut with volunteerism, or to lose sight of how to be helpful. Try to keep your action-taking fresh by trying new things. The Take Action pages of the IndiMarin website are a key tool in this regard. Perhaps make a habit of reviewing all of the web pages at the beginning of each month to see if there is new programming that appeals to you, or something that you haven’t yet tried. Try to have a couple forms of action going on at one time to keep the work fresh and interesting.
IN PERIODS WHEN YOU’RE BUSY AND CAN’T TAKE ACTION, DONATE TO THOSE WHO CAN
Of course, there are times when for a range of reasons, we may all need to take a break from direct action. A good way to “stay in the game” during these periods, is to financially support the work that is continuing in your absence. IndiMarin’s single-click Act Blue link is a one-stop way to support voter outreach work across California by contributing equally to our two key organizing partners: The California Democratic Party (CADEM) and Activate America.
REACH OUT FOR A 1:1 CHAT!
The leadership team at IndiMarin numbers nearly 30 caring, engaged volunteers. We want nothing more than to be a resource, in all ways possible to our valued members. We all sometimes need some personal guidance in our activism from someone who “gets it.” That’s why IndiMarin has kicked off a new resource, “1:1 Check-in with an IndiMarin Leader.” We’d love to connect with more of you, one to one, to help you stay connected, active, and motivated!