And we're still not going back
Centering ourselves in the midst of chaos
Welcome to Divergenthood, a bi-weekly newsletter offering insights, resources, and tools to help divergent minds rest, restore, and reclaim their authentic selves.
Read our About Page and learn about our evaluation system—The Energy Score.
Tis’ the Day After the Election
It is 5:45 a.m., the morning after the election. I had already snoozed my alarm twice because the energy was particularly heavy. As I reached over to clear my alarm for the third time, I hit clear and saw the notification that validated my decision to sleep in for a few more minutes.
I live in Ohio in a neighborhood lined with obnoxiously large Trump signs, so I wasn’t surprised by the news. Still, I was disappointed that they represented the majority of the country. How could so many people vote against the rights of the mothers, daughters, and sisters? How could so many people turn a blind eye to racism, sexism, and fear-mongering? How could so many people vote against the protection of every identity I hold and even their best interest?
At the end of the day people voted the way they did because they felt the same fear that many women, non-white, disabled, and LGBT+ people feel after learning the results of yesterday’s election. They feared for their jobs, families, and quality of life. Unfortunetly this fear was likely rooted in lack of education and misinformation. To be clear, I am not referring to book smarts because everyone who is formally educated isn’t aware, and everyone who is aware isn’t formally educated. I am referring to access required to gather information about yourself, your environment, and the world you live in.
When you live in the world as a divergent person you have to learn about the world around you for your own mental, physical, and emotional safety. You are hyper aware of injustices and sensitive to wrong doing. It is much harder for you to believe misinformation over your lived experiences. However, on the flip side, if your perception of the world is limited it is much easier to shape your perception by introducing hope and fear because you don’t have the perview to consider an alternative reality beyond yours.
This may seem like a stretch to some so I decided to do a little research to see if education was correlated to how people voted — for fun of course. I compared the 10 Most Educated States in America to the Presidential Election Result Map. And gosh, golly, there may be a correlation here. Every state in the top ten voted blue.
TOP 10 Most Educated State in America
Colorado
Massachusetts
Vermont
Minnesota
Maryland
New Hampshire
New Jersey
Virginia
Connecticut
Washington
According to US News Report: 10 Most Educated States in America
Source: NY Times
EVERY TOP 10 EDUCATED STATE VOTED BLUE
If you are not a white, able bodied, rich man than you know how messed up the system is. You have experienced the racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia and religious abuse that is left off of the pages of history books. You know the systems are not designed for you and a degree wasn’t required for that realization. You likely have researched Project 2025 and know the of negative impacts that this election could have on your life. You may feel afraid, disappointment, upset, hurt, exhausted but I want you to know that every emotion you feel is valid but don’t become the emotion.
Divergent people are always called upon to fix the issues, advocate, resist and rebel systems that is working just the way they was designed to work. We fight to participate in systems consume us for profit at our loss. Imagine what would happen if we put all that energy into healing ourselves and our families?
If you are silent about your pain, they'll kill you and say you enjoyed it.
Zora Neale Hurston.
You can no longer afford to spend energy on things you can not change. It’s good to be aware but if you are more focused on the world’s timeline instead of your own then you are off balance. You must prioritize being present for yourself and your world before start caping for the world.
Caping is a slang word describing an individual who believes they are a superhero who can save others from themselves—also referred to as “Savior Syndrome.”
Rest allows you to reclaim your energy and recommit to self. In turbulent times like this rest is critical and is a radical act of resistance.
This week’s issue of Divergenthood is dedicated to ways you can ground yourself and refocus your energy in yourself and your home.
Connecting with Your Breath
When you feel scattered or overwhelmed, grounding back into your body can help you feel centered and connected. This breathing technique is designed to bring awareness to your physical body, quiet your mind, and create a sense of stability.
Steps:
Find a Comfortable Position: Sit or stand with your feet flat on the ground, hands resting on your lap or at your sides.
Close Your Eyes (if comfortable) and take a deep breath in through your nose, letting your belly expand.
Exhale Slowly: As you release your breath, imagine any tension leaving your body, flowing down through your legs, and into the ground.
Focus on Your Feet: Bring all your attention to your feet. Feel the weight of your body pressing down, and imagine roots growing from the soles of your feet, reaching deep into the earth.
Inhale Deeply for a count of four, feeling energy flow up from the ground, through your feet, and into your belly.
Hold for Two Counts, allowing that energy to settle in your center.
Exhale Slowly for a count of six, visualizing anything you no longer need flowing back down into the earth.
Repeat for 5–10 Rounds, or as long as you need to feel fully present in your body.
Reduce Your Sensory Intake
In our fast-paced, noisy world, sensory overload is a common challenge, especially for those of us with sensitive systems. Here are a few simple ways to reduce sensory input, so you can feel more at ease in your environment.
1. Spend Time in Nature
One of the best ways to ground yourself and limit sensory input is to step outside. You don’t need a specific plan; just go out. Whether you walk, sit, or stand, find a spot in nature where you can reconnect with the simplicity of your surroundings. Let the sights and sounds of nature replace the digital noise and constant buzz of daily life.
2. Use Earplugs
For the past two days, I’ve been wearing earplugs almost constantly. With so much happening around us, sometimes you need to block out a layer of noise to find peace within. Earplugs help create a quiet space, allowing you to take a break from auditory overload and reclaim a sense of calm.
I personally use Loop Earplugs.
3. Try a Weighted Blanket
Weighted blankets aren’t for everyone, but for many, they provide an unmatched sense of comfort. The gentle, even pressure of a weighted blanket can feel like a reassuring hug, giving a feeling of being safe and held. I find that combining a weighted blanket with noise-canceling earplugs and a favorite playlist creates an escape—one where I can detach and just breathe.
Connect with Your Home
For me, connecting with my home is grounding. Maybe it’s the Cancer in me, but I find a sense of peace in the rhythm of cleaning. Cleaning itself is beneficial not only because it makes our surroundings better, but also because it’s a simple, focused activity—it’s hard to multitask while you’re scrubbing or organizing.
Cleaning Checklists: A Lifesaver
Cleaning used to feel overwhelming, until I discovered cleaning checklists. For years, I’ve been using Housewife’s How-To’s, a fantastic cleaning blog created by a woman with ADHD who wanted a better system to keep her home tidy. Her checklists have transformed my routine. They’re free to download with an email subscription and genuinely make the process simpler. (Not a sponsored plug—just a genuine recommendation.)
Set a Task and Tackle It
There’s a powerful sense of accomplishment in setting a cleaning task and checking it off. In a chaotic world, these small wins help restore a feeling of control. If you don’t already have a cleaning routine, don’t worry about jumping in all at once—just start with one task. I’ll be sharing more on my approach to routines next week, so stay tuned for tips on building a rhythm that works for you.
Connecting with your home in these small ways can help you feel grounded, centered, and ready to face whatever comes next. Plus, there is nothing like the dishwasher going and the stove lamp on to end the day.
Remember: you deserve peace today and every day.
That’s all for this week’s Divergenthood. With Love.
Sia
Di-ver-gent-hood
The state or condition of being different in a standard system
Thank you for the cleaning list recommendations. Just printed out a few of them. Also doing the deep breathing.
I have also had earplugs or earbuds in for days, sound legit hurts sometimes