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This week: Staying calm during emotional conversations
Hello everyone!
It’s been a minute. With everything going on in the nation and the world these days, we figured you could use some smart advice for managing the tough feelings that arise when discussing politics.
Here are three tips for the week, plus two inspiring quotes and one exciting new opportunity.
3 Smart Tips
Calm Your Mind for Clarity and Strategy: Engaging in a persuasive conversation requires a calm and composed mindset. If you're in a state of fight or flight, your ability to think clearly and communicate effectively is compromised. Prioritize achieving an alert, but serene state of mind to enhance your strategic thinking and communication skills.
Quick Emotional De-escalation: Emotional agitation can cloud judgment and impede constructive dialogue. While time is a great healer, you can also quickly deescalate emotions in the moment. Practice taking three deep, slow breaths to calm your nervous system and regain your composure. This simple technique can be surprisingly effective in preparing you for productive conversations.
Ground Yourself in the Present: If deep breathing isn't enough to center yourself, try a grounding exercise to further reduce emotional intensity. Observe your surroundings and mentally note objects based on their colors: Find five blue objects, four green, three pink, two yellow, and one white. This mindfulness exercise helps refocus your attention away from emotional triggers, leaving you more centered and ready to engage in dialogue.
2 Smart Quotes
Don’t let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace. — Dalai Lama
The best fighter is never angry. — Lao Tzu
1 Smart Opportunity
Smart Politics is excited to announce the "It's Not Too Late" project, an advocacy initiative with a crucial mission: to help guide MAGA voters back from extremism and halt our nation’s slide toward authoritarianism.
“It’s Not Too Late” (INTL) is founded on a simple premise: The best way to bring people back from Trumpism is by restoring, maintaining, and strengthening our relationships with Republican voters. Once we’ve earned their trust, we can begin to challenge the disinformation, misconceptions, and conspiratorial thinking at the root of this fundamentally anti-democratic movement.
Imagine the impact if each of us helps just one person back from the brink this year. Together, we have the power to deradicalize MAGA.
The "It's Not Too Late" newsletter is a cornerstone of this effort, offering a collection of resources specifically designed to teach progressives how to engage in this essential work. To join us and get involved in the INTL work, sign up now.
Your voice matters—start using it to bring MAGA voters back, one conversation at a time.