Now that Donald Trump has been elected president of the United States for a second time, a lot of the tens of millions who didn’t vote for him are searching for solace in the election results.

Journalist Daniel Hunter of Waging Nonviolence is victim 10 tips to help us prepare for and sustain the next Trump presidency. The guide emphasizes that to take effective motion, one must refrain from contributing to the autocrat’s talent for instilling fear, isolation, exhaustion, and confusion.

“Looking into an even more destabilized future is not easy. If you’re like me, you’re already tired,” Hunter says. “The prospect of greater drama is discouraging. But authoritarianism will not disappear regardless of the election results.”

Hunter has been busy throughout the election, preparing for the possibility of one other Trump presidency. From outlining potential scenarios, creating training and collaborating with colleagues experienced in autocratic regimes, he developed 10 tips on how to navigate the next Trump administration while maintaining inner peace.

(*10*) Hunter says, which is essential to not perpetuating “Trump’s goals of fear, isolation, exhaustion, or constant disorientation.”

1. Trust yourself

In the face of widespread social distrust – where many distrust the government, doctors, the media, and even family and friends – Hunter suggests starting by trusting yourself. It encourages you to listen to your inner voice and be mindful of how what you see, hear and feel affects your overall condition. By checking in together with your feelings and emotions, you possibly can put your phone down for a couple of hours, rest, or come to terms together with your fears.

Essentially, it’s “building up a defense against the ways in which madness can become internalized,” Hunter writes.

2. Connect with people you trust

Hunter points out that social isolation is the basis of fascism and dictatorship, urging readers to stay connected with like-minded groups who share similar values. Drawing on Hannah Arendt’s The Origins of Totalitarianism, she emphasizes that loneliness is a necessary ingredient of autocracy. To combat this, he encourages people to exit, engage in social groups, and find like-minded people. These connections help construct trust, allowing individuals to explore their very own pondering and support one another to stay sharp and grounded.

“We must consciously break this distance,” Hunter writes.

3. Allow yourself to be sad

Sadness is a human emotion that ought to be accepted, not limited. Hunter suggests that we start by detailing and allowing the feelings to emerge. He recalls staying up late with a friend after Trump’s victory in 2016 and just letting the emotions flow.

“Alternating between angry screams and tears. We became sad. We cried. We held each other. We breathed. We went back to naming all the bad things that we knew we had lost and the things that we thought we were probably going to lose,” he said.

Through this process, Hunter and his friend were able to higher mentally prepare themselves for what the next 4 years would bring. Instead of bottling up his emotions and continuously saying, “I can’t believe he’s doing this…” Hunter released his feelings on election night and started moving toward acceptance.

“Believe it. Believe it now. “Sadness is the path to this acceptance,” he writes.

4. Let go of what you possibly can’t control

There might be so many pressing issues during Trump’s presidency that accepting that we won’t take care of every thing might be a challenge, Hunter quotes.

“Trump’s first day likely includes pardoning the January 6 insurrectionists, reallocating money to construct the wall, withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement, and firing greater than 50,000 government staff to begin replacing them with loyalists. There is not any reason to imagine that the second day might be much calmer,” he writes.

To counter the chaos that always fuels autocracy, Hunter advises abandoning the belief that we’ve got to deal with every thing. While this may increasingly be difficult for natural activists, he warns that “the urge to act on every issue leads to poor strategy.” Instead of focusing solely on public insults or symbolic activities resembling rallies and protests, look for simpler ways to engage.

5. Discover your path

Referring to his book entitled scenarios on how a Trump presidency might unfold, Hunter outlines several paths of resistance to counter the coming chaos. One track, ‘Protecting People’, focuses on supporting those directly affected, resembling transgender people, abortion seekers and immigrants. Examples include creating committees to welcome immigrants, establishing funds to support abortion, or training volunteers in security skills to respond to white nationalist violence.

Other tracks include “Defending Civil Institutions,” where people unite to defend institutions whose mission is to protect civil rights, “Disruption and Disobedience,” where individuals intervene to stop bad policies or show resistance, and “Building Alternatives” to support for more democratic processes.

“Your path may be unclear right now. That’s okay. There will be many opportunities to join the resistance,” notes Hunter.

6. Refuse to conform upfront and avoid self-censorship

Hunter cites two major media publications that “cowardly” refused to endorse a politician as examples of self-censorship. Trump did not have to directly threaten these media outlets; their very own leaders instructed them to “wait it out,” Hunter notes.

“If autocrats can teach us anything, it is this: political space you don’t use, you lose,” he writes.

Recognizing that we’ve got the power to select when to speak up, Hunter urges those that care to “use the political space and voice you have.”

7. Redefine your political landscape

Hunter explains how a Trump presidency is changing political alignments and the potential impacts. It highlights the importance of taking a position to listen to and have interaction with individuals with different political or personal views to broaden our perspectives. It also encourages you to practice empathy and face the reality of who’s in power.

8. Face the reality of power

Taking to the streets in mass protests and not using a clear goal will only increase frustration, leading to disengagement and radical motion disconnected from any strategic plan.

“We will not stop him from doing these things merely by persuasive tactics or by showing that MANY of us are against it,” Hunter writes.

Using the inverted triangle as an influence evaluation tool, Hunter explains how strategically taking down Trump’s support pillars could also be simpler. Massive lack of cooperation puts people at greater risk and repression. However, it also shows the potential to achieve the form of liberatory government all of us truly deserve.

Hunter cited the Trump government shutdown in 2019 for instance, when flight attendants were preparing for a nationwide strike. That strike could have grounded planes across the country, disrupting a key transport network. Within hours of announcing “immediate mobilization” for the strike, Trump backed down.

“This tipping point of mass non-cooperation will create a mess. This means persuading many people to take enormous personal risks in exchange for a better option,” Hunter writes.

9. Manage fear and switch the violence against yourself

Managing fear just isn’t about suppressing it; it’s about continuously redirecting it. Referring to activist and mental Hardy Herriman’s research on political violence, Hunter explains that counterproductive political violence involves not being intimidated and standing up to these threats, which causes them to lose power.

Hunter uses the example of Bayard Rustin, who turned police threats of arrest in response to outdated anti-boycott laws right into a moment of courage. Rustin organized a gaggle of civil rights leaders who went to the police station and demanded an arrest, positioning themselves as leaders and turning the repression into a robust spectacle. Some leaders who aren’t on the police list have also publicly demanded his arrest. The defendants were met with applause from the crowd as they held their arrest papers aloft, turning the fear of arrest right into a moment of triumph.

10. Imagine a greater future

No matter who’s in office, there may be an entire world of beauty we are able to concentrate on as a substitute of marveling at the state of presidency and its impact on our country.

“On days when I don’t sense any of these political possibilities (more than none at all), I turn away from the lifespans of trees and rocks and toward spiritual reminders that nothing lasts forever,” Hunter writes.

“The whole future is uncertain. But with these things, we have a better chance of having a better future and experience in these turbulent times.”