A lot has been going on in the political world lately, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. For those of you who are activism inclined, here’s an article about how to stay sane while facing surmounting struggles.

What is advocacy?

Advocacy is an incredibly broad umbrella term for challenging injustice and driving change. Advocacy can include a wide variety of things throughout the past several hundred years and is still incredibly influential today. However, we often don’t think about the fact that behind every movement, there are real people striving for change.

The Mental Load

There is an incredible pressure to be actively engaged and weight of social responsibility that can feel overbearing when striving for change. Anyone concerned about social politics could tell you several hundred things that are problematic in our world, or that you personally could make better. So how exactly can you balance this mental load with your activism and your personal life?

The Hidden Weight of Advocacy

Before we get into finding balance, let’s explore where this weight comes from. Many advocates for social change are constantly pushing against resistance from broader society, which is the beginning of that mental load. The rest comes from a compilation of

Emotional Investment – Advocates often feel deeply connected to their cause, making setbacks feel personal.

The Pressure to Always Be “On” – Social media, activism events, and community expectations can make it hard to step away from difficult conversations. This can take a toll on our mental health, and make it harder to carry on.

Frustration with Slow Progress – Systemic change takes time, and the feeling of “not doing enough” can be overwhelming.

Personal Sacrifices – Many advocates dedicate time, energy, and even financial resources to their cause, sometimes at the expense of their own well-being.

Constant Exposure to Media – unfortunately begin able to constantly check in on your cause can sometimes do more harm than good. This connects to that pressure of always having to be “on” and makes it hard for activists to take time away from their causes.

Recognizing these challenges is the first step toward creating a sustainable approach to advocacy.

Recognizing Burnout Before It Takes Over

Burnout doesn’t happen overnight—it builds gradually. Here are some warning signs to watch for:

Emotional Exhaustion – Feeling drained, detached, or numb toward the cause you once felt passionate about.

Physical Symptoms – Headaches, fatigue, insomnia, or frequent illness due to stress.

Loss of Motivation – Struggling to engage in advocacy work or feeling resentful toward responsibilities.

Cynicism & Frustration – Feeling hopeless about change or irritated by the people around you.

If these signs sound familiar, it’s time to reassess your approach and prioritize self-care. Unfortunately, many of these issues won’t be going anywhere, so taking time off won’t break your movement. So what does reassessment look like?

Strategies to Protect Your Well-Being

1. Set Boundaries Without Guilt

Advocacy is important, but so is your mental health. Learn to say no to extra commitments, limit social media engagement, and schedule breaks from activism. Your cause is important, but so are you!

2. Find a Support System

Surround yourself with like-minded advocates who understand the emotional toll. Having a community to lean on can make activism feel less isolating. And if you’re advocating for a more personal struggle, find others going through the same things.

3. Prioritize Self-Care

• Engage in activities that recharge you, whether it’s hiking, reading, or spending time with loved ones.
• Practice mindfulness and stress management techniques like meditation or journaling. We also love to see some reaffirming adventure!
• Make sure to get adequate rest and nutrition—burnout is often linked to neglecting basic needs.

4. Delegate & Work as a Team

You don’t have to do everything alone. Share responsibilities, collaborate with others, and trust that the movement will continue even if you take a step back.

5. Shift Your Perspective on Progress

Change doesn’t happen overnight. Instead of focusing on big wins, celebrate small victories—every conversation, petition, and policy shift matters.

Sustainable Advocacy: Long-Term Solutions

To create lasting change, advocates need to pace themselves. Here’s how you can start:

• Rotate Responsibilities – Avoid burnout by switching between different types of advocacy work.
• Educate Others – The more people involved, the lighter the load. Encourage others to step up.
• Push for Systemic Change – Advocate for policies that reduce the burden on individuals, such as better funding for nonprofits and mental health resources for activists.

While these solutions may not work for everyone, they can help you build a movement that will outlast your sole efforts. We want to have progress even on days when we need to take some time off.

With this in mind, make sure you can take some time for you in addition to your movement. We love to see social change, but we never want to lose ourselves in the process.

Unfortunately, the current political climate is trying to overwhelm you, in hopes that you will feel so exhausted by the onslaught of threats to your person that you will miss something. These things in the background are even scarier than what we see on the surface, so being able to sustain yourself throughout this challenging time is incredibly important. Make sure that you can last another day to continue your movement.

Stick with it, and trail blaze on!

–Kaya