Stay Informed & Protect Your Mental Health

I tried something new this morning.

In the middle of making both kids breakfast, coffee, getting snacks ready for school, and setting up some morning TV—the amount of requests from each child started to overwhelm me.

I wanted to yell, “Give me a second.”

Instead I paused and said, “mommy is doing the best I can and I’m starting to feel overwhelmed. Give me a second.”

My son shrugged and said, “ok”

Then everything felt calm and I didn’t feel guilt for screaming.

This is a first for me. I think it’s important to start celebrating when we do something new that we feel good about.

When I walked my son to school I noticed parents playing with their kids.
Extra hugs goodbye.
One dad was spinning his son in circles, a mom was playing chase with her daughter to class.
There was joy everywhere.
I would have missed it all if I still felt overwhelmed and guilty about how the morning went.

Be kind to yourself and others.

It’s the best tool we have to combat absurd levels of violence and hatred.

Be careful with how many images of violence you let into your psyche.
There are so many videos circulating and at a time when AI is creating false videos it makes it even more chaotic.

Recently I saw the shooting of Renee Nicole Good and felt frozen with fear for weeks.

Then, I jumped on a live call with a bunch of mothers who are fired up and demanding action.

Jessica Yellin explained how there are AI videos circulating showing Renee Nicole Good get angry and forceful with the ICE agent who shot her. Then there is footage of the real interaction where she is being calm and saying she’s going to move the car out of the way.

People who think Renee Nicole Good deserved to be shot might literally be seeing a video that isn’t real.

This makes me question everything I am seeing online.
It’s something we all need to do.

One of the ways I am staying informed is by following Jessica Yellin.
She waits for videos to be confirmed by legacy news institutions.
They are the only real outlet that can confirm if something is AI or real.
In this same talk they said:

“500,000 people were detained last year.
ICE now has more money, more power, and zero accountability.”

Meanwhile, they are taking away insurance subsidies, SNAP benefits, and more from hardworking Americans, most of whom don’t believe in what ICE is doing.

These are terrifying numbers because we know people are being detained who are following the law.
We know ICE is acting with zero consequences.
She called this a Dual system.
A system that protects federal agents, but not everyday citizens.

Something has to change.

If you’re like me every time you see the horrendous acts being taken my ICE you feel helpless, angry, numb, hopelessly sad, and it’s hard to do anything.

As a mom with two littles under 6 years old there is not a lot I can do well when I absorb myself in the atrocities of this current administration.

I know that the majority of Americans are good, kind, and just as disturbed by what’s happening.

This gives me hope.

Stay informed and protect your mental health.

We need all of us to show up in non-violent ways, to come together, and to demand changes.

Follow Jessica Yellin for truth and facts.

*Occasionally creative Friday’s will highlight a Substack writer I am enjoying reading. Jessica Yellin is an incredible resource during these crazy times.

Love Always,

Danielle Mallett