How to Stay Sane While the World is Going Mad
Clearly 2025 will be a big one for the history books.
Dear Son,
There are moments in history when the whole world seems to wobble — when the loudest voices belong to the cruellest men, and common decency feels like a whispered rumour in a room full of shouting.
This is one of those moments.
People you know — smart, kind, everyday folks — are cracking under the pressure. The news cycles are relentless. The threats feel personal. It’s easy to slip into despair, or worse, numbness.
But you, my boy, you are not powerless.
You are not just a target of political madness. You are a creator in the chaos.
Here’s what I want you to do today if you feel like the world is falling apart:
1. Shrink the battlefield to a single day.
Don’t try to solve the world's problems in your head by lunchtime. You can’t outthink a tidal wave. But you can build a damn good sandbag wall in front of your house.
Practice day-tight compartments — focus on what you can do today, not what might come tomorrow. Wake up, do the work, love your people, and shut the door on the noise.
You don’t need a 4-year plan. You need a 4-hour window of clarity and purpose.
2. Disconnect to reconnect.
Turn off the feed. Mute the outrage machine. Give your nervous system a break.
Go for a walk. Listen to music from your youth. Watch the birds. Write a paragraph. Read one page. Touch grass, literally or metaphorically.
Your peace is your rebellion.
3. Create something that’s yours.
Nothing quiets the chaos like creativity. Build something small. A blog post. A podcast episode. A landing page. A birdhouse. A bad poem.
Every act of creation says: I am still here. I am not giving up.
4. Help someone, quietly.
Call a friend. Leave a kind comment. Share a resource that helped you. Teach someone what you’ve learned.
That’s how we resist despair — by choosing connection over collapse.
5. Decide what matters to you.
Let the noise rage. Let the talking heads babble. You don’t need to be outraged every hour to be a good person.
Decide what your life is about — your values, your goals, your small corner of the world. Water it. Protect it. Build it.
Because when this political circus finally collapses under the weight of its own cruelty, you’ll still be here — calm, skilled, and rooted.
If I had a son, I’d want him to hear this…
Trump is a symptom. The real disease is fear. And fear loses its grip the moment you pick up the tools of creation and start building your own damn future.
Be deliberate. Be disciplined. Be kind.
That’s how we win.
Love,
Dad
(If I had a son)
📌 This letter was written by Fred Ferguson (GeezerWise). If it spoke to you, I’d love to hear back—just hit reply.
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