Especially in the midst of chaos, grief, and what very much seems like the apocalypse, what there is to do is show up for each other – in whatever ways we can. The trick, of course, is in recognizing our own capacities and only offering what we actually have to give. Which may not be a lot right now, and that’s okay.

But participating in relationships with people we care about means leaning on each other. It means having the willingness and vulnerability to ask for what we need, as well as getting out of our shit by showing up for others in the ways that we can.

The key to all of it? Talking about it. If we want to show up well for and with the people we love, we need to talk about what everyone wants and needs and has to offer when the going gets tough.

Resources, References, and Links

The platinum rule: treat others as they want to be treated.

Five love languages. https://5lovelanguages.com/

Normalizing the Struggle. https://settlingisbullshit.com/2025/01/23/normalizing-the-struggle/

Toxic Positivity by Whitney Goodman (is the book), and then the definition is: avoiding, suppressing, or rejecting negative emotions in favor of an unrealistic optimism. https://bookshop.org/p/books/toxic-positivity-keeping-it-real-in-a-world-obsessed-with-being-happy-whitney-goodman/17026036?ean=9780593418277&next=t&affiliate=109472

Rage Room. A place where you can pay a fee to go smash all kinds of things! Highly recommend. Here’s the one I’ve been to in the Portland area: https://www.outragedroom.com/