<p>A former nun explains how to deal with doom-scrolling, despair, and rage in the face of world events.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>Kaira Jewel Lingo spent fifteen years as a monastic in Thich Nhat Hanh's Plum Village tradition. She is now a lay dharma teacher and is the author of <a href="https://www.parallax.org/product/we-were-made-for-these-times/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>We Were Made for These Times: Ten Lessons for Moving Through Change, Loss, and Disruption</em></a><em>.</em></p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>In this episode we talk about:</strong></p> <ul> <li>How to stop doom-scrolling and what to do instead</li> <li>Why it's more important, not less, to take care of yourself in times of crisis</li> <li>How to take concrete action that reduces suffering</li> <li>Stories and lessons from the life of Thich Nhat Hanh</li> </ul> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>From Plum Village:</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="https://plumvillage.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/An-open-letter-to-President-Biden-19.10.23-FINAL-corrected-Seal.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">An open letter to President Biden, guided meditations, and other resources </a></li> </ul> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Sign up for Dan's weekly newsletter</strong> <a href="https://bit.ly/3QtGRqJ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Follow Dan on social:</strong> <a href="https://bit.ly/3tGigG5" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Instagram</strong></a><strong>,</strong> <a href="https://bit.ly/3FOA84J" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>TikTok</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Ten Percent Happier online</strong> <a href="https://bit.ly/46TZglY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>bookstore</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Subscribe to our</strong> <a href="https://bit.ly/3FybRzD" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>YouTube Channel</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Our favorite playlists on:</strong> <a href="https://spoti.fi/3Qa8kMT" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Anxiety</strong></a><strong>,</strong> <a href="https://spoti.fi/3MjtMxF" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Sleep</strong></a><strong>,</strong> <a href="https://spoti.fi/3QvyA5J" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Relationships</strong></a><strong>,</strong> <a href="https://spoti.fi/3QxZASc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Most Popular Episodes</strong></a></p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href="https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/kaira-jewel-lingo-news" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/kaira-jewel-lingo-news</a></p>
Actionable Insights
1. Prioritize Self-Care and Inner Work
Engage in practices like coming back to the breath, taking pauses, finding solitude, ensuring adequate sleep and food, and dedicating time to inner transformation, as this self-care is crucial for developing a clear frame of mind and being more effective in relieving suffering in the world.
2. Process Your Emotions
Make space for and process your feelings, rather than avoiding them, because doing so liberates energy that can then be used to take constructive action in the world.
3. Practice Mindful News Consumption
Regularly ask yourself if your news consumption (e.g., doom scrolling) is helping you be more effective in relieving suffering or if you’ve overdosed, and if not, redirect your energy to something more useful or supportive to avoid overwhelm.
If compelled to consume more information during crises, seek out diverse content like historical documentaries, art, culture, music, and stories from affected regions, or learn about people providing direct aid and working for peace, to stay connected to humanity and avoid drowning in suffering.
5. Act Locally with Compassion
Focus on taking action and living compassionately in your “own little corner of the planet” by nurturing joy, connection, community, and caring for those immediately around you, as this localized care and peaceful presence significantly impacts the broader world and prepares you for long-term engagement.
6. Engage in Collective Action
If, after self-care and mindful consumption, you feel compelled to address a specific crisis, take concrete action by giving time or money, writing representatives, and crucially, join others in community to act together, as this absorbs anxiety, reduces helplessness, and amplifies impact.
7. Utilize Meditation App for Support
Download the “10% with Dan Harris” app for guided meditations to help with stress, anxiety, sleep, focus, self-compassion, and engaging with teachers and the community, offering a 14-day trial.