Getting Unstuck: Moving Forward in a Time of "Shock & Awe"

Sometimes we get stuck because of information overload. Illustration by Maljuk

Analysis paralysis. This is a phenomenon that can happen when one is trying to make a decision and there's so much information to consider, that no decision gets made at all.

In a time when we are constantly bombarded with breaking news alerts – dozens of executive orders, and one "worst ever" natural disaster after the next – it can be hard to figure out how to respond. Analysis paralysis sets in and even making the smallest decision seems arduous.

While we may be feeling blindsided by what some are calling the "shock and awe" of the new administration, now is not the time to get stuck. Whether you are a donor, a funder, or a nonprofit leader, we must carry on. Here are some ideas for ending the doom scrolling and creating some momentum.

1. Don't stop what you started. There are many needs that feel (and are) very urgent right now. But the last thing nonprofits need is for you to stop making your regular contributions to redirect your giving to new causes. Whether it's an annual grant or a monthly contribution, now more than ever your favorite organizations need your support. Take stock of your giving, and if you have the ability to increase giving in areas that seem especially tenuous right now, do it! But if you can, avoid reducing gifts to any causes. All types of nonprofit organizations – from arts organizations to humanitarian relief organizations – are feeling abandoned or even attacked. They are unsure of so many things – don't make your gift another thing they need to worry about.

   
   

2. Show up. Whether it's at your congressperson's local office, to volunteer for an organization, or to simply reach out to your friends and community-driven organizations that may feel like their jobs are on the line, or their mere identities are being questioned right now, let folks know you care about what is going on nationally, locally, and even personally with them. Lean in to your community, your faith tradition, your groups, and be there. Seeing you show up may be just what someone else needs to keep going.

   
   

3. Go for a walk. It is quite possible and even likely that the pace of this change is no accident. What if the plan is to overwhelm you so much that you can't act, and they are counting on the analysis paralysis to set in? We can only take so much, right? Take a deep breath, get outside, have a cup of tea. Then make a gift, phone a friend, or do one small thing to show that you are not paralyzed. And then, let's get back to work.