Stop to Reset

Before launching off into your exercises this week, take some time to reflect on politics in general and your interaction with politics. Regroup and intentionally choose and prepare for a new course of action.

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Exercises

Choose Your Lift Level

What do you have capacity for today? Whether it's a light lift, or something a little heavier, taking a step is what counts.

5 minutes 10 minutes 15 minutes

5 minutes

See Change Happening Up Top

Read this article about the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress and its bipartisanship, even in the face of hyper-polarization throughout Washington. If they can make progress, how can we?

Read This Article

The Science Behind It

Becoming cynical about our government and elected leaders today is easy and tempting. Those with the loudest megaphones in Congress tend to spout blame and foreboding more freely. Facts are simply an inconvenience. Our Capitol seems flooded with lobbyist money, cronyism, partisanship, and favoritism - all while Rome burns.

But even in Washington today, well-intentioned people and groups are fighting the good fight to keep our government civil and intact. Groups like the veterans' For Country Caucus and the House Problem Solvers Caucus are fighting against polarization and stalemates in Washington to get our country back on track. One great example is the current Select Committee. Check out their considerable progress to date, and note that even politicians and Congress can and do change!

10 minutes

Check Your Social Media Persona

Take this social media quiz and then reflect on a) how much time you want to be on social media, b) the possible negative consequences of it, and c) the general tone of your posts and comments (a.k.a., your social media persona).

Take The Quiz

The Science Behind It

I have a good friend who is a brilliant, decent, and accomplished person whose social media persona makes me cringe. She makes snide comments about others' actions and posts, which has gained her over 100K Twitter followers. She is aware of this tendency and often chastises herself for indulging in spite - but continues contributing to the gutter of social media. It is understandable how this happens. It is how most major social platforms work: The uglier the content, the more currency it has. And, yes, we all like the feeling of being "liked" and "shared." But at what cost to our sense of self, community, and political system? Maybe it is time to reevaluate our role in this.

15 minutes

To Fight or to Bridge?

Reimagining Your Approach to Political Engagement

Complete the Political Engagement Survey and then reflect on the implications of your responses for how you prefer to approach the trade-offs between activism and constructive bridge-building in your approach to political engagement.

Complete The Survey

The Science Behind It

Political engagement can take many forms. Two very different forms are constructive conflict resolution and political activism, which move in opposing directions.

Bridge-builders attempting to de-escalate tense, potentially violent conflicts and find common ground usually focus on reducing tension, reaching agreements, and rebuilding trust and harmony. In contrast, activists often aim to increase tension around wrongs and injustice by highlighting the harmful consequences of problematic attitudes, norms, policies, and institutions to mobilize resistance to challenge and reform them. Both forms of political engagement are vital to a healthy, functioning society. However, activist orientations prevail during extreme polarization - and bridge-building is often sidelined.

Set a daily reminder

Get daily exercise reminders on your phone or email throughout The Challenge to stay on track.

Better navigate politically polarizing situations

Repair strained relationships with family and friends

Become a less reactive and more effective communicator