[“Boots” by Rudyard Kipling read by Taylor Holmes]
Does that sound familiar? The poem “Boots” by Rudyard Kipling, read by Taylor Holmes, has gone viral in recent months, typically set to videos of video game characters, tv shows, and other pieces of media.
In one video, Kipling’s poem plays over an animation of Elon Musk, doing a gesture identical to the Nazi salute, along with other images of politicians and soldiers. It racked up almost 2 million views on Instagram.
That video, and many other social media posts, express a sense of existential dread, overwhelm, and general malaise that’s ramped up in the last few weeks, spurred by national events like wildfires and the sweeping changes of the Trump administration.
ALthough it might feel like the world is literally ending, it most likely isn’t. So, what next? I spoke to experts, students, and advocates on how to take care of your mental health, even when it feel like it should be the last thing on your mind.
Reverend Julie Windsor Mitchell is the campus minister at University Christian Ministry. She said that in her work with student groups, particularly activists and organizers, she has been seeing a similar sentiment.
JM: In my conversations with them recently,It was becoming obvious to me that like a lot of people are struggling with burnout or the potential for it.
To combat that, she decided to host an event for student activists to share their experience, talk about sustainability in activism, and also engage in self-care. Mitchell has been involved in social justice work since she herself was in college. She has a few tips for how to manage burnout.
JM: So everything in life is about finding balance, and I wanna be vocal and active in fighting for just systems in our world, but I realize that I can’t do that at my own personal expense, so I have to be very intentional about taking care of myself so that I don’t get burned out, because if I burn out and then I’m just like, “Oh, peace out,” then I am not there to do the work anymore.
She emphasized the importance of communities of care: groups that are not just focused on outward action, but are committed to supporting each other.
JM: When you do get down, when you do get frustrated, when you do get angry, you have to have someone there for you. And then when someone else is in that situation, you have to be there for them because it’s very easy to just walk away. And again, if I walk away, then they won, because that’s exactly what they wanted. They wanted me to get so overwhelmed that I didn’t know where to start and I just got paralyzed and didn’t do anything.
Mitchell says that when the world becomes overwhelming, she focuses on keeping a larger perspective and room for positive emotions, like joy. But she added that negative emotions, like anger and frustration, have their place in this work as well.
JM: Like anger is wonderful and amazing because it creates real change in our world. And you called it generative. I love that word. To think of anger as generative, we often think of anger as a bad thing. I don’t think it’s bad. I think it can motivate us to action and create more just societies. However, It has, it cannot overtake you as an individual because it will consume you and then it leaves you nowhere.
Ben Frank is the Senior Director of Wellness at the National Alliance on Mental Illness Chicago, or NAMI Chicago. He echoed Mitchell, pointing towards the negative sides of anger, like cynicism and despair, as the enemies of good work.
BF: We talk about burnout as a symptom, but what are the symptoms of burnout? And it’s cynicism, it’s hopelessness, it’s detachment from purpose. Like, if those things are happening, what kind of a life and activism or politics or or things that you care about, like, you’re not gonna be good at what you do. So we need to retain the ability to care, to empathize, to connect. And all of those things are antidotes to these bad feelings and emotional reactions that we have to what’s going on.
He advocates for an approach to recovery and wellness that allows your brain to detach from the digital world and ground itself in the present.
Ben Frank: We also need times where our brains like just rest. And there are specific things that you can do that allow your brain to rest. Taking a walk does that. Taking a nap does that, daydreaming, engaging in like art where you shut off like constant thought and just kind of engage,, being close to somebody without the need to like,, have a hyper verbal conversation.
BF: Sometimes it’s just a matter of like, I think there’s a lot of physicality that’s needed,, and, and when I say that, You know, I think we’ve gotten into space, we talk a lot, and we, we express ourselves and maybe write what we’re experiencing, but when do we just allow our bodies to be our bodies is a really important question. So that’s why exercise movement in the simplest of forms, like, Going for a nice slow walk on a, you know, brisk day feels really good cause you all of a sudden you’re like, you’re attached to your senses, and it’s not just your brain working over time.
He said that ultimately, sustainability is key — you have to ensure that you enjoy what you’re doing, because you might be doing it for quite a while.
BF: You can say this is not a hopeless situation, this is how I am today. I want to do something tomorrow, so I’m gonna do this for that, you know, and and just kind of feed your soul and your body in a way that serves those purposes. Because I think we’re not in for a quick scenario, this is some of the things that I’m sure are being discussed, might carry on beyond, your time in Northwestern, carry into careers, and go ahead and prepare for longevity in those spaces by investing in yourself, investing in curiosity.
Mark Heyrman is on the board of Mental Health America of Illinois and has taught mental health law for decades. He says that often, resistance starts with an unexpectedly positive outlook.
MH: When you think about it, there’s so many ways in which the world is better, and that the world has gotten worse in the last few weeks. I think we must acknowledge and we must wrestle with. But it’s useful to maybe talk to some old people, and we will get through this because we will fight
Like Mitchell, Heyrman emphasized that even according to the science, it’s important to surround yourself with friends and people who share your values – especially when you need someone to tell you to step back.
MH: You may not be able to listen to yourself, you should tell it to your friends. And then they can tell it back to you. You know, you’re working too hard on this. We need to go out for a drink or a cup of coffee or whatever, I’m not recommending alcoholism, but you need to go out and, and have some fun. And, you know, if you, if you’re not having it, if you’re not having fun, you’re not gonna have the energy to do the difficult work that must be done.
Medill senior Evelyn Driscoll has been involved in mental health advocacy by leading her club, Active Minds. She said it can be important to balance what you can do with what needs to be done.
Evelyn Driscoll: [There’s] being too involved to where it’s damaging to your mental health and then there’s also a line between not being knowledgeable enough and being engaged in the world as we like kind of have a duty to do as citizens. And I think what’s important first of all is to recognize that that line looks different for every single person based on your experience, your mental health, your identities, and so I think just being kind to yourself about where that line stands for you.
She says that world events can be disempowering. The average person often can’t do that much to change decisions at a national level. But, she says, it’s important to find a way for you to get involved that shifts your perspective.
ED: I also feel like a major thing is like self-care. That is definitely like such like a buzzword right now, but I do feel like I don’t know. I think it was like Audre Lorde who was like self-care is a radical act, and I do think like when we’re experiencing such scary decisions being made at the federal level, like, kind of choosing to take care of yourself is a radical act because it’s almost a protest in a way, because it’s showing that like, no, my mental health does matter, even though that some of these policies and decisions may indicate that others may not think it does, but I’m choosing to prioritize it.
I asked Driscoll what she would say the students and others who might feel like taking a step back compromises their work or feel like world events are overwhelming.
ED: I would say that you’re not alone and to lean on your friends and family and the trusted relationships you have, because I think one of the ways that we’re going to get through these next couple of years is by leaning on those around us, because we can’t go through this alone.
These strategies might not prevent the world from falling apart around you. But they might get you part of the way towards holding up your end of it. And according to the experts, sometimes that is literally the best thing you can do.
For WNUR News, I’m Mika Ellison
Music: Poplar Grove by Blue Dot Sessions
