The reason you feel overwhelmed isn’t because of the news. It’s not because of politics. It’s not even because of the chaos unfolding all around us.

It’s because you’ve given up control over your own life.

Think about it. The average internet user spends almost 2.5 hours per day scrolling through social media. That’s 912.5 hours per year—the equivalent of working 22 full-time weeks just consuming other people’s thoughts, arguments, and outrage.

And the irony of you reading this right now? Yeah, that doesn’t go unnoticed.

But here’s the real question: What do we actually have to show for it?

Anxiety. Stress. A constant feeling that something is about to go horribly wrong.

I was guilty of it too.

Four years ago, on January 20th, I took a deep breath and thought, finally, we can all believe again. I was wrong. And I don’t just mean about politics.

Now, everything we assumed was normal is being burned to the ground, literally and figuratively.

The Illusion of Control

The problem is, we think we’re informed. We think we’re engaged. But what are we actually doing with all of this information?

The constant stream of news, social media, and political takes creates a false sense of action. We feel like we’re involved—like we’re fighting for something—when in reality, we’re just reacting.

Every morning, we wake up, reach for our phones, and check:

What fresh hell happened overnight? What are the talking heads screaming about today? Who is trending for the worst possible reason? And then we spend our day responding—arguing in comment sections, sharing posts, feeling outraged.

It feels like we’re doing something. But are we?

Or are we just giving away our power?

The Power We Forgot We Had

A few weeks ago, I joined the “META Protest”:

I signed out of Facebook, Instagram and I deleted WhatsApp.

No Meta. No scrolling. No doom loops.

I didn’t make an announcement. I didn’t turn it into a “look at me” moment. I just walked away.

At first, I thought I’d feel out of the loop. That I’d be missing something crucial.

But the opposite happened.

Instead of waking up and doom-scrolling, I woke up and thought.

Instead of reacting to whatever nonsense was trending, I had actual conversations.

Instead of consuming other people’s narratives, I started crafting my own.

Finding Out What’s Actually Important

Every morning, Gary and I read something inspiring to each other—something we started doing years ago during our Landmark seminar days. It sets the tone for the day. Helps us focus.

This week, he asked me, What are you thinking about?

Before my social media hiatus, I would’ve had an instant response:

Who was being wronged. The various ways the Cheeto destroyed democracy today, and a thousand other bullet points of rage and despair. But this week?

I just said, “getting organized.”

He looked at me like I was a freak. That’s it?

Yeah. That’s it. And it hit me—this wasn’t just a small shift.

This was a tectonic shift.

Because here’s the thing:

I’ve been playing a losing game.

I’ve been waiting for things to get better. I’ve been hoping that someone else will fix it. I’ve been watching and waiting instead of acting.

And the truth is, that’s never going to work.

What We Can Actually Control

For the past few years, I—like most people—had assumed things would return to normal.

But what is normal?

Maybe things aren’t meant to go back to how they were. Maybe we’re supposed to wake up.

I have a friend who always says, “Everything is exactly as it should be.”

It’s a hard mindset to live from. But what if they’re right? What if everything burning down is forcing us to rebuild something better?

Another friend has a different approach.

He picked two or three things he deeply cares about. And instead of yelling about everything, he pours his energy into actually making a difference in those areas.

Yet another friend says, “Forget trying to fix the system—just focus on each other.”

Frances Arnold, 2018 chemistry laureate says, “Build community. Take care of the people around you.”

So What Do We Actually Do?

Instead of obsessing on how are we going to survive the next 1444 days, what if we focused on thriving instead?

Because here’s the truth: I have no control over what politicians do, but I do have control over my life.

Being organized is a protest. Being healthy is a protest. Living well is a protest.

We think change comes from the top down. It doesn’t.

Change happens when people stop waiting for permission and start leading their own lives with intention.

So instead of falling into the rage trap, here’s what I’m doing:

1. ✅ Taking a break from social media. (Even a week can change your mind.)

2. ✅ Exercising daily. (Movement changes your brain.)

3. ✅ Renewing my library card. (Reading beats scrolling.)

4. ✅ Picking 3 causes I actually care about—and taking real action.

5. ✅ Meeting friends for coffee. (Real connection, not just text messages.)

6. ✅ Learning French. (Because why not?)

This list can be anything. It can change week to week, day to day, hour to hour.

The point is—make it yours.

Why This Matters Now More Than Ever

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: The next 1444 days are going to be rough.

It’s not just politics. It’s the economy. It’s the rapid acceleration of AI. It’s the uncertainty of everything.

And that uncertainty? It’s designed to keep you glued to the screen.

The more anxious you are, the more you scroll. The more hopeless you feel, the more you consume. The more powerless you believe you are, the easier you are to manipulate.

But you are not powerless.

Every choice you make moves you closer to being either a passive observer or an active participant in your own life.

And the sooner you step off the hamster wheel, the sooner you realize—you never needed it in the first place.

This is Your Call to Action

Maybe simply surviving the next 1444 days isn’t the goal—it’s the problem.

Because the version of you that’s just getting by, just holding on, just hoping for things to change—maybe that version needs to die.

And that’s not a bad thing.

Maybe the better question isn’t How will I survive? but How will I thrive?

How will you rise above the noise, the fear, the distractions? How will you build something real, something lasting—something that actually matters and lasts longer than a spray tan and Sun-in?

Not just for the next 1444 days, but far beyond them.

Let me know. I want to hear what you're doing.