In recent weeks, many of us in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area have been watching events unfold that are unsettling, confusing, and deeply stressful. A surge in federal immigration enforcement, dramatic confrontations in our neighborhoods, and the death of a community member have left many feeling anxious, heartbroken, and unsure how to make sense of it all.

When public safety feels unstable and systems we trust seem in conflict, it’s natural to feel:

• fear for ourselves and our neighbors
• grief for lives lost and futures disrupted
• anger or frustration at feeling powerless
• hypervigilance or exhaustion from constant news cycles
• deep concern for children and loved ones in our communities

These reactions are not signs of “weakness” or being overly emotional — they are human responses to real events happening in our city and our world.

Why It Matters to Validate These Feelings

There’s a tendency in wellness culture to talk about coping skills as if they can fix stress or make it go away. But right now, many of the stressors we’re experiencing aren’t internal problems waiting to be managed — they are external realities that deserve acknowledgment, empathy, and space to be felt.

Validating your stress doesn’t mean giving up hope — it means recognizing that:

• You’re responding to very real threats and injustices.
• It’s okay to feel overwhelmed when systems and events feel out of your control.
• Legitimate emotional responses don’t need to be minimized or “fixed” immediately.

What We Can Do Together

Even when we can’t control every external challenge, we can respond with intentional care — for ourselves and for one another.

Here are ways we can foster resilience without minimizing truth:

1. Be gentle with your nervous system.
Chronic stress wears us down. Simple grounding — slow breathing, short walks, time away from screens — isn’t avoidance. It’s recovery for persistence.

2. Stay informed with boundaries.
Knowledge can be grounding — but constant doomscrolling keeps your nervous system in fight-or-flight mode. Decide on specific times to check news and pause when you notice overwhelm rising.

3. Connect — don’t isolate.
Real connection is one of the strongest antidotes to anxiety. Talking with someone who listens without judgment creates safety that no coping skill can replace.

4. Feel your feelings — fully.
Anger, sorrow, confusion — all of these are valid and human. Feelings don’t have to be “fixed.” They have to be witnessed.

5. Take actions when you can.
Solidarity can look like community support, donating, protesting, volunteering, checking in on neighbors, and caring for your own emotional wellbeing.

Healing Happens Together

There’s no quick fix to societal stress or systemic events that shake us at our core. But when we acknowledge the reality of what we are facing — and we hold space for each other’s genuine experiences — we begin to build strength that’s rooted in truth, community, and compassion.