EMOTIONAL RESISTANCE TRAINING RESCUE

Emotional resistance training is more than ignoring bad news and waiting for clouds to lift. It takes a little work, a little effort.

The definition of resistance training is clear and plain: improve muscles by making them work against a weight or force.

The same definition applies to emotions: When we get challenged in a way that deserves a return burn, push against the urge. But keep a hose close in case you go on a burn because something else could and will spark up.

Show your work in emotional resistance training by not throwing gas on an open flame. Who would do that?
Anyone you know? Not you, right? But, what if . . .

What if old white men were all labeled as unreformable, irredeemable, colonists living in a fragile world supported on the backs of the weak and downtrodden? And you’re an old white man like yours truly?

For originalist context, this is on the Statue of Liberty:

“Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

That was the red carpet promise from America to the rest of the world. It hasn’t changed, but the world has.

From too many bull horns old white men bark at an entranced audience. Like metal heads sitting too close to the speakers, the audience is numbed into submission.

I see crowds of red hats on TV and look for someone like me. You ever do that, look at a crowd and wonder what you’d do if you were at the same event? I never see me. I see old white men, sure, but not me.

3 Stages Of Emotional Resistance Training Rescue Work

I’ll use a current example: Statue toppling protesters took a side-step when they broke into the Oregon Historical Society, dropped lit torches, and snatched an artifact on the way out.

My first response on hearing the news was surprise. Surprised that the statues didn’t break when they fell, that the museum windows weren’t stronger, and surprised at how my opinion changed about of the Portland Art Museum’s brick walls.

Followed by some wtf sadness. This is where emotional resistance training works best.

Push off the need to roll all Portland protests in the same civic goo. Resist the urge to find something deplorable so you can push the link on your social network.

Mr. Trump was reminded that he’s the President of the United States during his town hall, not someone’s crazy uncle retweeting and mouthing off about every stupid-ass thing that tweaks the pea-sized brain rolling around inside their box car head.

So the Crazy Uncle role is already filled. In fact, the only role open in this lifetime is the one of you. But you knew that.

Use your role to understand what pushes other people to do what you wouldn’t do, and what else they’ll do to accomplish their goals.

Reach Beyond The News Outlet

Since I’m a serious blogger, I used the tools of the trade and wrote a post that was read on twitter by a protestor.

Again, as a serious blogger, I wrote a post about that.

She catalogued me how I say to avoid. To her I was an unreformable, irredeemable, colonist living in a fragile world supported on the backs of the weak and downtrodden. More or less.

The shocker came when I asked for her permission to quote her tweet calling me an old white man. What the hell, right? She came back with, “If it’s on twitter it’s public, but thanks for asking.”

It was super nice. Instead of, “Go f yourself you nazi piece of sh!t and die a fat a$$ death in the boiling oil of your exploitation,” we had a blog worthy exchange.

She was a voice of a movement, which changed the more I heard. Her message sort of veered into blaming America for not solving problems better, how America exports death, and the evil of sick old white men. And I don’t blame her.

Instead of blame, I hope she votes, that she makes sure her group votes, and that if they are local voters, vote on measures related to city taxes for more clean up funding. My twitter reader said more statues were coming down.

Push back on the notion that nothing can change without violence.

Combined Voices For Emotional Resistance Training

America is where you live in a country of people who don’t look like you, act like you, talk like you, eat like you, drink like you, live like you, raise a family like you, and vote like you.

If you’re the kind of American I think you are, you vote for a better life for yourself and everyone who doesn’t smell like you, work like you, or get married like you.

Is there a vote for an America that helps people interested in a better life, who want to create a better life by their hard work and attention to detail, who want to breath the clean air of freedom, drink the pure water of personal choice?

From Yale Climate Connections:

Notwithstanding President Trump’s claims to want “crystal clean water and the cleanest and the purest air on the planet,” his administration has determinedly gone about reversing at least 100 environmental rules. 

#votejoebiden