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Let’s be real—“staying motivated” isn’t even the goal anymore. It’s survival mode. And pretending otherwise just gaslights people into accepting this as normal.
There are no strategies for staying grounded. I mean, what would staying grounded even mean in this environment? You've got smug know-nothings running rampant, seeking to damage the US government beyond recognition. I get that psychological well-being matters, but there's no way to sugarcoat the reality.
I don't know if I'd call it grounded, but I have been coping by preparing myself for self-employment as a freelancer in other fields. Preparing for a future outside the govt. Partly as a safety net, but mostly to keep myself looking to the outside of this mess after it's over. Because frankly I'll never trust my fellow American's ever again. I don't want to be stuck in a profession where there is no respect (and that has been an ongoing theme my entire career off and on) for what we do, where we are dehumanized and devalued. I can create a much brighter future. And planning for that future has me motivated. It's almost a buffer against the madness because you're looking ahead, beyond it.