Dealing with the results

Trump won 2024. Now what?

He won, and I’m feeling concerned and let down. I’m reminding myself at this moment that the only way out to a better reality is through the current reality.

So here we go.

I’ve experienced more than one experience that was even more immediate and impactful in real and personal ways. Without going into detail, I describe these personal experiences as profound, life-changing events.

Many of you will have had your versions of this, too.

During these moments, I was forced to make real-world, right-now decisions. My mind was flooded with desperate thoughts: I have no choice — it’s over — what will I do? Fear, grief, anger, and overwhelm collided within me, threatening to drown out any hope.

And yet, after these waves subsided, a quieter voice emerged. Life must go on, it would say. I can’t stay here forever.

So I picked myself up, sometimes with shaky hands, and moved forward, one small step at a time. Perhaps you’ve done this, too, when facing a painful loss or setback. It’s a journey of healing that takes time and patience, but it also opens doors to new perspectives, deeper strength, and, ultimately, transformation.

Today, we’re experiencing a different kind of loss — a collective one. We’re grieving a hope that didn’t materialize. We’re afraid of what the future holds, questioning what this might mean for the democracy we hold dear, the ideals we value, and the direction of our country.

For now, let’s honor those feelings. Grieve, sit with the sorrow, and let it have its time. There’s no shame in feeling what you feel. Grief can be a teacher when we don’t rush it away and when we’re willing to allow it to show us what we value most.

As we allow space for grief, let us also remember that this moment isn’t the end. No single election, no single setback, has the power to extinguish our shared resilience, our desire for unity, or our capacity to move forward with purpose. We may feel divided and afraid, but within us is the potential to grow stronger together, to let this moment deepen our resolve for change — not through anger, but through collective courage and compassion.

The only way out of this experience is through it.

Yes, it’s painful. Yes, it’s uncertain. But consider that this experience, as painful as it is, is happening for us, not to us. It’s inviting us to look deeply within ourselves, to ask hard questions, and to consider how we might create a more just and connected society — not through victory over one another but through learning to understand each other more fully.

This journey forward isn’t about ignoring the reality of our world; it’s about seeing the world with a clearer lens and working from that place. Imagine what we could do if we approached each other with curiosity instead of judgment and if we allowed ourselves to be vulnerable instead of defensive. Imagine the depth of healing that could arise if we truly began to see each other beyond our divisions.

I invite you to consider this: Could this experience be the beginning of something greater than we’ve known?

What if we used this moment to unlearn what has divided us? What if we allowed ourselves to see each other in a new way — beyond politics, beyond opinions, beyond fear? What if, through this shared grief and uncertainty, we rediscovered the power within us to build something lasting, something grounded in truth and compassion?

We can’t go back. We can’t change what’s happened. But we can shape what comes next. And it starts with each of us choosing to lean in rather than pull away, to seek understanding rather than assign blame. It starts with a willingness to rebuild, not just externally, but within our own hearts.

So let’s grieve, yes. But let’s also choose hope. Let’s choose resilience. And let’s choose each other, as messy and imperfect as that may feel right now.

Because we are not alone in this. Together, we have the power to create a reality that honors all that we hope for — a reality grounded in unity, compassion, and, ultimately, love.