I’m sure that by now you’re undoubtedly aware of the changes being made thus far in President Trump’s time in office. I’m also fairly certain that whether you agree with the moves being made or not, you’ve seen the opinions of your friends on Facebook and other social media about it. I know that I have mulled over my own friend’s thoughts on social media, and it feels so easy to be overcome by fear and helplessness when reading what they share and how they feel. But in the very least, it’s comforting to know I’m not alone. It’s the concept of having such an incredible amount of friends and family who hold the same values as I do that made me wonder was anything I could do about how I felt at a time when change felt so out of reach. My mom always told me that there’s strength in numbers, and I know that the number of Facebook friends I have alone could outnumber the Trump administration. There has to be something we can do. The more research I do about it, the more I realize what power we truly do have. These 9 points are ones I feel might be obvious to some, but could be essential for others to hear at this point in our country.

1. Care. I truly don’t think anything angers me more than those who say “I don’t really have an opinion”. I believe that it’s your right to opt out of the Facebook wars and making your opinion known, but to blatantly say you don’t care is probably not even true. The issues at hand in the Trump presidency are ones that we need to care about.
2. Create a list of what it is that’s most important to you, and what you will not sacrifice. You are the one who is in control of your morals and values you hold. Realize how Trump’s presidency will affect them (if it hasn’t already).
3. Do your research to know the facts, or just simply pay attention to what’s happening. I’m guilty of this myself; seeing an article on Facebook and immediately becoming outraged before noticing the source. Be sure that the information you have is reliable, and leads you to forming educated stances. But also, realize how simple it is to stay attentive to what’s happening around you- it’s everywhere.
4. Do more research on what your role is as someone who does care. With a simple google search of “what we can do to resist Trump”, there were over 46 million results. Obviously not all of them will be helpful nor will it be feasible to click on every single one. But, one of the first ones that came up was this website, https://99waystofighttrump.com/. Take notice of what is feasible for you, and start doing it.
5. Share the results of the research you find! Talk with your friends and family about things they may be able to do that you cannot, and vice versa.
6. Get as much face-to-face time as possible with your reps. I realize this is probably not always an option, but if you do have the availability, please do so. If not, phone calls are the next best thing; the online petitions aren’t as effective.
7. Be respectful in your delivery of information to family and friends. If we are going to make any dents in the walls separating each other (no pun intended) we have got to start speaking to each other with respect. I know that many of these issues are personal, and there’s no way around that. These issues are important, real, and impact us and our loved ones directly. But if change is the goal, we are not going to achieve that through words of hate or personal digs.
8. Think about what signing the “Impeach Trump” petitions will do. Although I don’t believe it will do much anyway and I’m all for the resistance of Trump and the motions he’s made, his impeachment means Pence leading our nation. That’s no trade I’d like to make, but that doesn’t make the current movements justified by any means.
9. Take a breath and step away when you need to. The change we need cannot be done with a single person alone, and the tasks at hand can be daunting and depressing. Take the time for yourself that you need and do what’s best for you.

If we want change, it’s up to us to do so. I wish you all the best of luck in your phone calls and future involvement, and hope you find some solidarity knowing that you are not at all alone.