Hopecore!
A vibrant tuna poké bowl
Take a deep breath with me! Ready? Inhaaaale… hold. Exhaaaale. That’s better. Drop your shoulders, unclench your jaw, let’s dig deep and find some hope.
How to Find Hope
If Hope were a child, her favourite game would be hide and seek. How do we cope with the headlines? How do we feel anything but despair? How do we do the ‘right’ thing without spiralling into decision paralysis? Today I hope we can find some answers together.
Here’s my icy take on ‘doing the right thing’:
We are individuals. We did not design these systems. It is not fair, nor is it productive, for us to take on the pressure and responsibility to be morally perfect. Those who do engage in moral perfectionism often seem to develop a superiori-tea complex that I have seen do more damage than good.
Hold onto your morals, but do not let them distract you. Do not spiral into decision paralysis, take action. Do not beat yourself up for using google, meta, substack, whatever, if any other option causes you more harm/inconvenience— that is how they win. We are too distracted to change the BIG systemic things because we are trying to make microscopic ‘positive impact’ decisions. Remember who the real enemy is— it’s not you.
‘It's important to know who the real enemy is, and to know the function, the very serious function of racism, which is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining over and over again, your reason for being. Somebody says you have no language and so you spend 20 years proving that you do. Somebody says your head isn't shaped properly so you have scientists working on the fact that it is. Someone says you have no art so you dredge that up. Somebody says you have no kingdoms and so you dredge that up. None of that is necessary. There will always be one more thing.’
— Toni Morrison
These wise words from Toni Morrison have so many layers, and resonate deeply. Marginalised groups spend so much time trying to prove themselves, justifying their existence, convincing people they deserve rights. This is a control tactic, and a waste of time.
Whether it is race, gender, disability, or anything else, when marginalised people are making headlines in the way they have been recently, think scapegoat. Think distraction. Think, no, I will not be divided. I will not be turned against fellow human beings.
As a sociologist, I need to tell you: Your overwhelm is the goal.
The flood of 200+ executive orders in Trump's first days exemplifies Naomi Klein's "shock doctrine"—using chaos and crisis to push through radical changes while people are too disoriented to effectively resist. This isn't just politics as usual; it's a strategic exploitation of cognitive limits. Media theorist McLuhan predicted this: When humans face information overload, they become passive and disengaged. The rapid-fire executive orders create a cognitive bottleneck, making it nearly impossible for citizens and media to thoroughly analyze any single policy. Agenda-setting theory explains the strategy: When multiple major policies compete for attention simultaneously, it fragments public discourse. Traditional media can't keep up with the pace, leading to superficial coverage. The result? Weakened democratic oversight and reduced public engagement. What now?
Set boundaries: Pick 2-3 key issues you deeply care about and focus your attention there. You can't track everything - that's by design. Impact comes from sustained focus, not scattered awareness.
Use aggregators and experts. Find trusted analysts who do the heavy lifting of synthesis. Look for those explaining patterns, not just events.
Remember: Feeling overwhelmed is the point. When you recognize this, you regain some power. Take breaks. Process. This is a marathon.
Practice going slow: Wait 48hrs before reacting to new policies. The urgent clouds the important. Initial reporting often misses context.
Build community. Share the cognitive load. Different people track different issues. Network intelligence beats individual overload. Remember: They want you scattered. Your focus is resistance
— Jennifer Walter
I found this through Anna Akana who is one of my favourite creators. She uses humour to summarise life-changing topics, and provides snapshots of things that have helped her in therapy for those who cannot afford it. I felt so much relief reading it. Permission to stop thinking about every single injustice that is occurring. Acknowledging that overwhelm is an emotion that requires processing. Prioritising community and supporting each other. I am still struggling to choose my 2-3 key issues, but I think my skills lie in building community and advocating for marginalised groups.
The best thing we can do is hold onto is hope, because it’s the one thing they don’t want you to have. It’s the one thing they can’t take away.
This is NOT the end of the world, it is the pain of revolution. And any revolution needs good art, so here’s a few things that have helped me and I hope exploring them will stoke the embers of your own hope-flame.
For when you’re feeling HOPELESS
A Playlist to help you feel better about the Climate Crisis
Humankind: A Hopeful History a book that will help you find your lost optimism
Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto systemic oppression is burnout fuel, this is a cure.
For when you’re being SELF-CRITICAL
A Playlist for Self-Compassion (watch all of Anna Akana’s videos!)
The Good Place The only comfort show that is certain to trigger an existential crisis!
How to Be Perfect: The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question by the same writer ^
For when you feel like the only person who has NOTICED HOW BAD THINGS ARE
The Hunger Games Explores propaganda, commodification, inequity, and more
Severance Corporate life getting you down? Wouldn’t you like to never work again…
A Low Desire To Please with Jameela Jamil
And to end, here’s a very cute music video, because lovely people still exist and they are creating lovely things every day!
let me tuck you in with the love i have for others
I’d stroke your hair back like your mother
forgive you for all the tempers you lost
remind you it’s not your fault
but a cost
a price you pay for living in pain
a tax on your body, a tarnish on your brain
how proud you should be for the person you’ve become
what a wonder it is
for this is a trial you can never outrun
This poem was written at a Poetry Orchard workshop, inspired by how difficult it is to foster self-compassion, cope with chronic pain, and deal with normal-life-stuff. Subscribe below for free to join an international community of other creatives and grow your craft!
Pour A Cup of Compassion
Email me with something you think deserves more awareness and together we can make the world more compassionate place!
This month we’re pouring a cup of compassion for YOU
Please give yourself grace, whatever that looks like for you. These times are incredibly difficult. Have a snack, a beverage, a sip of fresh air! Looking after yourself and others might manifest as community organising and writing to your local politician, but it can also look like watching a comfort show and eating copious amounts of sushi. Both are valid! All are needed. Before anything else, please take care of your basic needs.
Communi-tea Spotlight!
If you would like to be featured in our new Communi-tea Spotlight, please use this form to let me know what you would like to collaborate on and how you would like to be featured! Thank you to all the wonderful creatives who have already filled it in, I am so excited to ‘pass the mic’!
Love,
HB x
March Favourites
☀️ Good News: I…. got my dream job?!
📚 Book: One Italian Summer by Rebecca Serle, A Tasty Morsel of a read with a beautiful representation of a mother-daughter relationship.
📺 TV: Paradise on Disney+ a great show from the awesome Dan Fogleman (Tangled, Crazy Stupid Love, This is Us, Only Murders in the Building) which has slightly filled the gaping hole Severance has left within me!!!
🍿 Movie: Escape from Pretoria if anything should give us hope, it is all the people who came before and fought for the rights we protect today.
🍜 Recipe: Gimbap! I used my friend Emily’s recipe, but this is a good one!
