Time Magazine Publishes Guide To Help Some People Cope
As the nation gears up for the historic return of Donald Trump to the White House, Time Magazine has swooped in to provide what can only be described as a survival guide for liberals bracing for what they view as four years of existential dread. Yes, the same publication that once hailed “The Resistance” is now offering its readers a list of "mental health tips" to navigate the emotional fallout of Trump’s Inauguration Day. From group crying sessions to “forest bathing,” this collection of coping strategies is less about resilience and more about confirming the Left’s caricatured reputation for overreaction.
The Time article, cheekily titled "11 Things to Do on Inauguration Day That Are Great for Your Mental Health," calls on a cadre of “mental health experts” and creative types to soothe the angst of those who simply cannot fathom a Trump 2.0 presidency. Leading the charge is Anindita Bhaumik, a Boston-based trauma specialist, who suggests “forest bathing.” No, this isn’t a quirky name for outdoor activism.
It's literally taking a walk in the woods and reconnecting with nature. Bhaumik offers this as a remedy for the chaos of modern politics, suggesting that standing among the trees can remind people of life’s permanence while their own “trying times” are fleeting. Inspirational, sure, but is a walk in the woods really going to cure the kind of apocalyptic despair Time’s audience seems to be wallowing in?
Here are healthy ways to spend Inauguration Day, if you happen to be dreading ithttps://t.co/xoZnuXQnTu
— TIME (@TIME) January 17, 2025
Then there’s Emiliana Simon-Thomas, a science director at UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, who encourages group crying as a bonding experience. “You shouldn’t do it alone,” she advises, explaining that the grace and speed of recovery from grief improves exponentially when crying is shared. The recommendation reads like a parody, but Simon-Thomas assures readers that this is a “science-backed” path to emotional wellness. If the idea of liberals gathering in parks to cry over Trump’s inauguration sounds like a scene from a dystopian satire, don’t worry—Time assures readers that it’s perfectly normal.
But if we’re being fair, Time isn’t just about catharsis; they also suggest channeling energy into “productive” activities. How about making a vision board? Visual artist Julia Barzizza recommends crafting images of an “improved democracy” and “queer representation.” Feel free to post it on Instagram or tape it to your office wall. Because nothing says “I’m ready to tackle the challenges of the next four years” quite like an arts-and-crafts session.
Of course, exercise is on the list too. “Fifteen perfect-form jumping jacks” is Simon-Thomas’s way of suggesting you can reclaim some control over your life, even if you feel powerless against the incoming administration’s policies. Other suggestions include volunteering, journaling, and diving into creative hobbies to keep your mind off politics entirely. These are undoubtedly healthy outlets for stress, but Time’s framing suggests they’re necessary for enduring what they portray as an unprecedented crisis.
The irony, of course, is that much of the anxiety Time is attempting to soothe has been self-inflicted by years of hyperbolic rhetoric and fearmongering. Trump’s presidency has been painted as the ultimate existential threat, to the point that even his re-election is equated with catastrophe. Simon-Thomas herself perfectly mimics the catastrophizing mindset: “Oh my God, if everything is going to have to be that way, and follow that thread, then we’re all going to die.” She describes this perspective as unhelpful—but it’s one the Left has cultivated for years.
Time's article highlights something deeper about the current political climate: an inability among some on the Left to accept democratic outcomes they disagree with. While conservatives rolled their eyes at Joe Biden’s presidency, few found themselves in need of trauma specialists and journaling workshops to cope. The guide feels less like genuine advice and more like an inadvertent commentary on a cultural divide—one side cries and crafts vision boards while the other shrugs, gets to work, and waits for the next election.