We need to prepare for collapse, and that means taking care of each other. We are in a polycrisis of wars, climate change, and now the systematic dismantling of government in the US. The world after capitalism is coming, and we don’t know how it’s going to look. But what if we could let go of needing to know? How to take care of each other now? Remember you always have choice. We have a lot of options. If you’re looking for ways to support and get support, read on.
I am reading some news and… it’s not good.
Jobs are precarious right now, whether you work in nonprofits, government (with 121,000 federal jobs targeted by DOGE) or corporations.
According to Amanda Cole at NonprofitPro,
“Trump is aiming to limit future funding to organizations that have causes that don’t align with his domestic policies.” This means Trump is targeting nonprofits specifically anyone who doesn’t agree with him, and freezing or halting funds meant to go to the sector.
And it just keeps getting worse.
Now a lot of states are challenging Trump’s canceling of AmeriCorps.
There’s a reason I chose to post this on May Day, the international worker’s day. On May 1, 1886, more than 300,000 workers (40,000 in Chicago alone) from 13,000 business walked out of their jobs across the country. In the following days, more workers joined and the number of strikers grew to almost 100,000.
I take heart from the strikers and nonprofit unions. They are getting results.
Tips to center yourself
1. Connect with your feelings and grieve.
“So let us grieve. Let us mourn the illusions of certainty and control we’ve held so tightly. And then, let us trust.
Because we have no other choice. Clinging to the fantasy of control won’t stop capitalism’s collapse; it will only exhaust us. The sooner we release our need to know, the sooner we can collectively step into the unknown with curiosity, courage, and faith.”
2. Take care of each other. How can we take care of each other?
Let’s start with where we are.
- Buy Nothing (a facebook group, also an app you can use)
- Freecycle
- Freeya
- Offerup (Free stuff)
- Too Good to Go – Getting discounted food from restaurants, grocery stores, cafes, and bakeries. They give you a surprise bag. And it’s $6 or around that amount. Looks like Whole Foods are participating, your area might be participating.
If you don’t have the energy to cook as much because you’re freaked out or sad, it’s understandable. Maybe this can help you have food, and have it be affordable and not have to cook as much.
As we know, grocery stores and restaurants throw out the food at the end of the day, but there’s nothing wrong with the food. Point is, you could definitely do worse than to try these options.
Does it really work?
Hell yes it does! It becomes a game, what can I get for free this week? What can I give away?
I’ve gotten so many useful things off of Buy Nothing, like
- A leather purse,
- 2 side tables
- candles,
- a heart shaped mold for gelatin or ice cubes,
- a seasonal light,
- a humidifier,
- free garden supplies, etc.
And I’ve also given away a lot of stuff on buy nothing too. I love knowing that this gets to people who need it. People also ask for what they need on these apps.
Recently a mom put out an ask for Easter candy and activities for her kids, and they had just lost everything in a fire. So I delivered her some candy and egg dyeing materials.
Another time, a person on there said she needed a window AC unit, and I delivered it to her, because she didn’t have a car.
There are things we can do to help our neighbors and create goodwill and peacefulness in our communities by helping each other.
It’s easy to be in fear right now. But we don’t have to go it alone. We can ask for support.
3. If you could transform this fear, who is it asking you to become?
Remember fear is a pathway for growth.
What is this fear encouraging you to step into?
For me I feel like it’s asking me to become someone who is ready to connect with others, and be a connector between people.
Make my spot as nice as possible and invite the right folks in.
Last year we made a community garden, and this year we are making it even bigger and better.
I’m starting to organize my first garden party and I’m excited. Inviting people, getting excited about recipes. Giving my energy to the people around me who want to celebrate that we’ve made it this far, together, and we still have a long way to go!
What if you could make your apartment/house the most sweet little bubble? What else does it need right now?
Let that ripple out to the macrocosm of the universe.
Other articles you might like
- If we are living in a dying world, then what’s next?
- Unlearning Capitalism
- We must be living in a time loop
- What if we are all runaway serfs right now?
thanks