The Winds of Change are Blowing
An update from Nicole Dake's Newsletter
They say that the only constant in life is change, and for me that has been very much the case in the last few years. It seems like at times, I barely have time to take a breather. Like life is constantly in flux, and I don’t know what to expect around the next corner.
At the beginning of 2024, I was back in the US to spend time with my oldest daughter, and friends there. Although I arrived with high hopes, nothing seemed to come together for me. It feels like life in the US has changed dramatically in the last couple of years post-COVID, and not for the better. There is sweeping poverty, business closures, and political polarization.
So, in the beginning of July, I came back to Germany in a hope of having some stability. Since I have been back, I have had some quality time with my youngest daughter over her school break. It is good to be back here. Life in the country is simpler than in the big city. People are calm and relaxed. Life has a different pace.
On a personal level, I am focusing on spirituality and deepening my meditation practice. In terms of my writing, I am focusing on social justice causes in addition to mental health. The last few months have taught me that mental health assistance alone isn’t enough to heal, in the face of very real and pressing problems. Too many people are living in survival mode. It doesn’t allow us to be our best selves.
I have learned this on a personal level by way of my financial troubles while living in the US. I spent most of my time staying in extended stay motels and AirBNB’s. I thought I would have a safe place to stay with friends, but it didn’t pan out.
The costs of housing and food have skyrocketed, with wages staying stagnant. There are thousands of people living in poverty in the richest country in the world. Wealth disparities are the greatest they have ever been between the very rich and the very poor.
These problems aren’t unique to my own situation, the things I went through are all too common experiences for many Americans.
With the rising costs of everything, that includes the price of web hosting for my writing on my website, Millenial Mom. For now, I am not renewing, and my work will be primarily hosted on Medium, a paid blogging platform. While typically it is a $5 per month subscription fee, I am providing links to my stories free in this newsletter.
Below are some of the highlights of my writing from the last month:
Money Worries is one of the Biggest Causes of Stress
Many of us Spend Our Lives Prioritizing the Wrong Things
Fear of Lack has People Living in Survival Mode
Humanity Needs to Come Together as One People to Address Climate Change
It’s Time that Power and Privilege Make Way for Equality
Also, though I don’t typically write about politics, with the presidential election coming up this November, I felt it was important to provide a look into the two candidates:
Kamala Harris in the Race for the Democratic Presidential Nomination
Why are People Still Supporting Trump 8 Years Later?
This year, voting is critical. We can either choose a candidate who supports a better future for everyone, or a candidate who only cares about himself and other billionaires. I do believe a better future is possible, but it takes everyone working together to achieve this. We all need to care about each other, and work on building a world where everyone has a fair chance at a good life.
We need to stop competing with each other over ‘scarce resources’ and instead create the opportunity for abundance for everyone. One of the best ways to do this would be to institute Universal Basic Income, so that no one falls through the cracks and ends up homeless.
To build a better America, a better world, we all need to find a sense of our common humanity, and have a deeper compassion for each other. In order to do this, we can spend time in spiritual practices like meditation. Practicing a Loving Kindness Meditation is a great way to radiate love outward into the world, and to change our own hearts for the better.
I hope that you are all doing well, my lovelies! Let me know in the comments what you would like to see me writing about in the future, and what types of information can help you the most in your own life!
Finally, to get your dose of daily affirmations previously found on Millenial Mom, you can follow me on Instagram, where I still provide morning affirmations to help you start the day with a positive mindset.
Be well,
Nicole Dake