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Welcome to Episode 316 of The Non-Anxious Leader Podcast. I'm Jack Shitama. If you're new to this podcast, you can connect with me at jack@christian-leaders.com. You can send me your comments, your questions, and ideas for future episodes. In fact, today's episode comes from just such an email. You can also find more resources at thenonanxiousleader. com, where you can subscribe for My Two for Tuesday email newsletter. I'll also put a link to the subscription page in the show notes. Now, without further ado, here is episode 316, Four Things You Can Do If You're Not Happy, with the current administration. The idea for today's episode comes from an email from a fellow podcaster, Lauren Richmond Jr, who has the Future Christian podcast podcast. I'll put a link to that in the show notes. Lauren wrote to me recently, If you were in charge of the Democrats or anyone trying to counter the incoming administration's agenda, what would be your process from a family systems theory perspective?

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I will note that this is about process, not content. If someone had asked me this same question four years ago when the Biden administration took over, I would have given similar advice. The Trump administration's policies have certainly sparked significant debate and concern among many Americans, whether it's issues related to immigration, climate change, health care, civil rights, or tariffs, those who are concerned are wondering what they can do. I will say that I am not real hopeful in terms of national politics. I do give money to certain causes when I feel it will be helpful, but in general, I believe our political system is stuck. So what I am going to share are things that I think people can do as individuals. Remember, self-differentiation is about defining self while staying emotionally connected. It's not about defining others. So if you're not a progressive, if you're actually excited about the political landscape, that's okay with me. I hope you'll hear what I share without taking it personally and that you'll think about how you can apply it to your own situation and what you believe in. Remember, Remember, it's process, not content. The first thing I think you can do if you are unhappy with the direction of the current administration is to get out of your echo chamber.

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In today's digital age, it's easy to consume news and information that aligns with your existing beliefs. Instead, engage with diverse perspectives, read news from various sources, and have open conversations with people who hold different views. This will help you understand the broader context and build more informed arguments. For example, how many progressives remember that the Obama administration set records for the number of deportations? I often say non-anxious leaders say what they believe while giving others the freedom to disagree. The healthy consumption of news from different viewpoints will help you better understand and accept those who disagree with you. One source I love is called Ground News. A basic subscription $10 a year. I'll put a link in the show notes. They offer news stories from across the spectrum and even show you which news outlets are carrying the story and where they fall on the left to right spectrum. What's surprising to me is how many stories get carried on one side with little coverage on the other. It's really a reminder that the news is biased these days, not just liberal news, not just conservative news, but in general, the news is biased. It's a business, and it's about making money, not about being objective.

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What something like Ground News does is it really helps you to discover your blind spots. It's a reminder to me that we all make our own reality, and none of us sees things objectively. The second thing you can do is think globally and act locally. You've heard this before, but I think this is true now more than ever. While global issues like climate change and LGBTQ civil rights are significant, local actions can have a profound effect. For example, in the fight against climate change, cities like San Francisco have implemented ambitious zero-waste programs, significantly reducing their carbon footprint. Likewise, LGBTQ organizations have successfully advocated for nondiscrimination ordinances in cities across the country, providing protections for individuals at the local level. Another example is that churches and denominational bodies across the country are stepping up to provide sanctuary, training, and resources for immigrants facing deportation. From a family system's perspective, this is about taking responsibility for self. It's knowing that you have agency to do something. Instead of catastrophizing and doing nothing, realize that you can take action. Edwin Friedmann wrote that nobody gets the problem they can handle. If they could handle it, it wouldn't be a problem.

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Seeing current events as a challenge instead of a problem will help you to think about what you can do. This is how you build resilience. Otherwise, you will feel overwhelmed that you can't do anything. That's a problem. The third thing you can do applies mainly to progressive Christians, and that is to focus on expressing a faith that represents Jesus as a champion for the marginalized. Actually, you don't have to be a progressive Christian. You don't even have to be a Christian to express that Jesus was a champion for the marginalized, because if you read the Bible, even if you're not a Christian, that's likely what you see. Many people of faith are concerned about the rise of Christian nationalism. To counter this, focus on expressing a faith that aligns with Jesus as one who actually was out for the poor, the oppressed, and the vulnerable. Research shows that one reason young people aren't drawn to Christianity is they know enough about Jesus to see that the church doesn't reflect what they know about them. Instead, it often reflects a comfortable middle class existence, not the Jesus that advocated for the least, the last, and the lost.

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In episode 2004, I covered Dr Martin Luther King Jr. 'S Principles of Nonviolence. Though Jesus is not mentioned, the use of agape or sacrificial love is noted. The nonviolent resister not only refuses to hurt their opponent they refuse to hate them as well. In fact, one of the goals of nonviolence is to win the friendship and understanding of the opponent, not to humiliate them. Or as Dr. King said, hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that. Another principle is that the nonviolent resister must be willing to suffer without retaliation. Even if you're not a Christian, you can probably see how Jesus modeled this redemptive suffering. In fact, Jesus was in part an inspiration for Mahatma Gandhi's peaceful resistance in the struggle for Indian independence, and in an ironic twist, Gandhi was an inspiration to Dr. King. Mainline Christianity has lost its narrative to conservative Christianity and its alignment with Trump. If you're a moderate or progressive Christian who is disturbed by this, focus on defining who you believe Jesus is without blaming or defining others. Finally, the fourth thing you can do is cultivate relationships as a non-anxious presence. Building relationships with people who hold different views can be a powerful way to counter divisive policies.

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The acceptance of same-sex marriage, for example, was significantly influenced by individuals coming out to their friends and family and fostering understanding and empathy. By being a non-anxious presence in your relationships, you can create a space for open dialog in mutual respect, helping to bridge divides and promote acceptance. This is about emotional connection and not trying to define others. Showing humility, curiosity, and a genuine concern builds connection and trust. It's the epitome of a non-anxious presence. It's well documented that blaming and shaming will only result in more resistance from those with whom we disagree. It's defining them, and it only makes things worse. In episodes 276 and 277, I cover 10 steps in a process of calling people forward, not calling them out. I'll post a link in the show notes to those episodes, as well as a link to the original article that inspired them. To me, this process is self-differentiation in action. It's also consistent with Dr. King's approach. The idea is not to force your solution on others, but instead, it's about trying to find solutions to move forward together. You know your own goals and values, but you don't force them on others.

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My guess is roughly a third of the country isn't interested in these types of conversations. That still leaves a lot of people who would. The challenge for the non-anxious leader is to find those people and take time to build trusting relationships. Perhaps that can be done effectively in a small group setting. My daughter and another church member have led a faith in politics Bible study, and that is something maybe that you could do with people from different perspectives. If you, as the leader, can establish ground rules for healthy conversation, it's possible that you can find a different way into the future. I'll put some resources for ground rules in the show notes. In conclusion, if you're concerned about the direction things are going in your country and the world, the best thing you can do is view this as a challenge, not a problem. Get clear on your goals and values and then find a way to take action however small. Perhaps you'll become part of a larger movement or even start one. When you're a non-anxious presence, anything is possible. That's it for episode 316. Remember, you can connect with me at jack@christian-leaders.com and at thenonanxiousleader.com. If you found this episode helpful, please share it with somebody who might benefit, and please leave a review on your podcast platform of choice. Thanks for your help. Until next time, go be yourself.