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Not to Get TOO Political
182 Plays1 year ago
Don't let that title scare you, Kels is here to help you out. We are headed int a rather strange period of time coming up as this election season is creeping up on us. Now this truly isn't about the politics and who is running, this episode is about YOU! How you can protect your peace through these trying times and how you can still make an impact while you do it! Heal the world through healing yourself.
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Transcript
Introduction & High Vibes Request
00:00:01
Speaker
Welcome to Awakened Bake, an educational, high vibrational, mystical, spiritual, pot, I'm sorry, podcast, from one girl, no joint, and a journey to awaken what's inside all of us. In the words of the wise was Khalifa, let's roll something and get the day started. As always, when it's just me, Kelce here, pregnant as fuck, please roll something up for me. Think of me, send me your high vibe so I can receive the contact I need it. Um, actually,
00:00:30
Speaker
I'm doing pretty good. I haven't, I think Danny did two solo abs in a row. So I was gonna say it's been like a little bit since you've heard from me.
Birthing Ball Benefits
00:00:40
Speaker
I am bouncing right now on my birthing ball while I do this. So hopefully I don't fall off, fall on my ass and you guys get to just hear me do that. I am loving this thing. I don't know if how many of us who are listening have had babies, but if you haven't, if you plan to, if it's someday you find yourself pregnant,
00:01:00
Speaker
get yourself a birthing ball, birthing ball, birthing, birthing, whatever. Honestly,
Creativity Course Insights
00:01:07
Speaker
even if you're just a human, especially if you have ADHD, I've been using this as my desk chair instead because it helps me to just like, move. Helps me get that energy out. I've been doing really good. Like I said, I haven't, it's been, I think over a week since you guys have heard from me. A lot has happened. I started a,
00:01:29
Speaker
really cool creativity enhancement course, I'm going to call it. It's based on a book called The Artist's Way. Now, if you guys remember last year, almost exactly a year ago, I think we had Dr. Rachel Turlock on the show. She taught us all about Reiki and basically all about Reiki. She's incredible. If you don't follow her, go follow her on Instagram.
00:01:55
Speaker
at Rachel Turlock. She also wrote an incredible children's book called Maggie the Moon Maid. My baby will be getting a copy hopefully a signed one Rachel if you're listening.
Power of Morning Pages
00:02:08
Speaker
And she's just an absolutely incredible all around person. She is a teacher right now in her like
00:02:15
Speaker
career life she's teaching. I don't know she just moved so I don't know like what her new teaching avenue is like what age range and stuff. But she's incredible for all ages. I'm just gonna say that she has the greatest energy. And so she's leading this course following the book called The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. It has been life changing. I'm not going to get too into it because that's not what this episode's about. But I just wanted to share that this is something that I am doing. And I'm hoping that she does this again.
00:02:43
Speaker
If she does, I will be sharing it and I highly, highly recommend that you all get involved in it because we are on week two of 12 weeks and I have already seen so many changes along with the other people who are involved in this course right now. I've also just met other people, incredible people who I am like
00:03:04
Speaker
I already feel like our forever friends and forever inspirations of my own creativity through their creativity. I'm so grateful to have found this little, I almost said click, but I feel like that is such a negative connotation. This group of artists to just inspire me, motivate me. We have a group chat and I just forgot how nice it is to have people holding you accountable.
00:03:31
Speaker
Prompts one of the parts of the course is you have to write three pages every day in a journal Just like non-stop writing.
Navigating Upcoming Elections
00:03:40
Speaker
You're not rereading it. It doesn't matter. It's not anything like it's it just is word vomit basically and I have been Loving it. It's called morning pages. I don't know if I said that already, but it's just amazing I don't know as someone who I like consider
00:03:57
Speaker
one of my biggest artistic avenues to be writing. It has been so incredibly helpful to put myself back in that realm. And I honestly think it's going to help me with the podcast. It's been a while. I haven't because I haven't been journaling, which kind of makes me sad because I'm like, oh, I didn't really journal through my pregnancy. I did a little bit at the beginning, but then I've just been so like under the weather and sick that I haven't kept up with it. So now I'm getting back into it.
00:04:26
Speaker
It feels right. I'm doing it the way that I think I always wanted to do it, the way I always loved doing it. Danny, the last episode she did was all about like spiritual hygiene, getting back into your spiritual routine. And it's so funny how we are always in sync with how we're feeling about things like that because when she pitched that idea or said that she was going to do that, I was like, yes, please, because that's what I need, because that's what I'm doing. And so that just lets me know that that's probably what a lot of you guys need.
00:04:52
Speaker
And a lot of us need the world needs, even people who don't know it or don't have a spiritual routine or a spiritual outlet. We got to find it. It's what the world needs is more spiritualness. Okay, enough about me. Time to get into this episode.
00:05:14
Speaker
Please don't be scared by the fact that I titled it Not to Get Too Political. I truly, truly, truly am not trying to get political here. This is not about politics. This is about protecting yourself and your energy. A few episodes back, I talked about how I feel that we're kind of entering an interesting phase
00:05:37
Speaker
of our societal life, our societal culture, a societal era. It's gonna be hard, I think. And I truly think it's kind of starting now-ish to like, for whatever reason, my gut is telling me like 2025, it's kind of gonna be like a just a really hard taxing time.
00:05:57
Speaker
and at least here in America, and that's because the election's coming. It is next November, the presidential election. Obviously, every year there's elections, but I'm talking about the big presidential election. It pretty much is going to start this July because this is when people, candidates are going to start announcing that they're running. This is when they're going to start saying their things about each other and all the
00:06:20
Speaker
craziness is going to be hyped up in the media, and basically all health is going to break loose, I think. 2016, we had a wild election. 2020, we had an even wilder election, and it's just been increasing. We've just been reaching higher highs as far as the intensity of these things go, and I'm hoping that this one is going to be a crescendo that will teach us
Mental Resilience Strategies
00:06:47
Speaker
that it's not about the person, it's not about the party, it's not about anything other than doing what is right and what is best for the most people and helping people. We have the resources to help so many people and yet we choose to do nothing because we're blinded by, oh, well, that idea was pitched by this side or that idea was pitched by that side or what that person is like bullshit, it's all just bullshit.
00:07:16
Speaker
those of us who feel really deeply, like us empaths and stuff, or I think I'm more of like a highly sensitive person than empaths necessarily, this is gonna be really fucking hard. It just is. I don't wanna get into, again, I don't wanna get into like specific politics, but I'm gonna share kind of my experience going through this. Again, as a young adult, like all of us who are listening to this, no matter what age you are, I think this is all, like we can all agree that this has been since 2016,
00:07:46
Speaker
this has been just a crazy thing to follow. And I truly feel that in our textbooks, in our children's textbooks and stuff, our children's, like, this is a time these 10 years from 2016 to 2026, say, are going to be extremely important, exponentially important to our history, the world's history, not just America's, but the world's history.
00:08:13
Speaker
And so obviously, we want to be on the right side of history. But to do that, you also have to survive. So for this episode, I want to talk about surviving this, surviving the chaos that is a political season.
00:08:28
Speaker
So like many of us in 2016, it was my first kind of like big deal election, not only because of who was running, but like it was my first presidential election that I could vote in. It was the first time and I think because of how loudly the opposition to me, which is the Trump side, how loudly they were saying things that were wild to me. I also wasn't like,
00:08:55
Speaker
Hillary Clinton fan, like I'm not going to lie. I don't really think any of them are great. Like, I don't know. I feel like to be a politician, you have to be a little slimy. Like I truly, truly vote or focus on in these things about policy. Um, I don't really care. Like I care what kind of a person you are. Like I loved Barack Obama. Oh my God. I love that man.
00:09:20
Speaker
But that's the only politician I can really say that about, or at least president I can really say that about. I feel like when we go back in history, we see all these things and they have all done dumb things. It's just a fact. I think that when you're at that level of power in the world, that's what happens. And I also think that maybe that's why this isn't necessarily
00:09:41
Speaker
the best way of running society or having this work. I think we're due for a renaissance of political everything, blah, blah, blah, whatever. Okay. Anyways, 2016 election was intense for me. I was ready to go. I was obsessive. I watched CNN, MSNBC.
Personal Peace in Politics
00:10:02
Speaker
I watched Fox even because I am a firm believer in seeing what the other side is saying, trying to understand
00:10:08
Speaker
trying to gather all sides and then coming to my opinion. That is something that I've always believed in. And I let it just consume me guys. Like I, it was all I would talk about. It was all I would want to talk about it. It was just like, and I truly put all my like extra attention into it. I just was so focused on this at right like 2016. I would have been 18. Yeah. Okay. I'm trying to fit. No, no, no. 20. I was 20. 21.
00:10:38
Speaker
21, 21, 21, 21. Yes, because, okay, nevermind. I'm not gonna explain the math to you, because I'm 28 now. Anyway, so yes, I was 21. I was like a big deal. I was like, okay, yes, I'm gonna be like this freedom fighter. I am ready to go. I am all in. And it just consumed me.
00:10:56
Speaker
And I allowed it to pull at my very negative emotions. And by that, I mean I was letting myself not be excited about the ideas that I loved. I was just allowing myself to be angry and sad and pissed and feel betrayed by the things that I didn't like hearing. Now, guys, obviously someone that was justified, grabbing by the pussy should have ignited a fire in everyone. Like I will forever be
00:11:25
Speaker
Blasphemy that we didn't move through that like that that that didn't end That then in there that that that we just forgot about that like that'll forever be something that I will reference because it was just absolutely ridiculous sexist So many things But The fact of the matter is you can be angry at things like that. You can be angry at statements and
00:11:54
Speaker
but not let it change who we are, not let that anger take control. It's a very fine line between fighting for what is right and justice and protecting our peace. And I think what I forgot to do was protect my peace. I let myself
00:12:09
Speaker
kind of lose my path and my purpose. I allowed that election to change my focus to bettering our country, to I want to beat them. I want to take them down. They're the worst. Which, guys, the truth is, it isn't us versus them. We need to come together. That's the only way that these things are going to be solved. That is the only way that we're going to save Mother Earth, that we're going to feed every starving child in this country, that we're going to have health care for every... That's the only way forward is together.
00:12:39
Speaker
So even if it means small personal sacrifices to help your neighbor, that's what we have to do. It makes me think of the masks during COVID. And again, I'm just going to be real about this. If you have a different opinion,
00:12:56
Speaker
I love you. I send you love. I am just sharing this as an example. But when the mask mandates came out during COVID, I just remember so many people being so mad about that. And I genuinely couldn't understand. And I tried. Like I said, I try to see every side. But people who took it as a loss of their freedom to not wear a mask, I just was baffled. Because it wasn't that. That was not the point. That was not what they wanted.
00:13:24
Speaker
That wasn't the goal. And even if there was like maybe a small percentage that did want that, the more important thing, the bigger story, the bigger picture idea was that it was to help save our immunocompromised neighbors, our elderly neighbors, people who cannot remain safe against COVID, people who needed extra help and masks were like, like it was just crazy to me how we were denying science.
00:13:52
Speaker
doctors, nurses, we wear masks all the time to help us prevent passing of diseases. It's just what we do. But again, perspective is everything. And speaking of COVID, that was the next election. After 2016, it was Biden versus Trump. Now, truly to me, this was a battle to find the shiniest of two turds.
00:14:17
Speaker
I'm sick of old white men, so I was drier than I could ever be for this. But I still was adamant that we had to beat them in the beginning. That was my thought. I was like, we have to win. And I believe that still, but I don't believe it for the same reasons. I don't believe it because I want
00:14:44
Speaker
someone else to lose, I believe it because those policies that were being shared by Biden's side were the only ones that would truly help everyone out. Obviously, not all of them. Again, it's not cut and dry. It's not black and white, everything. There's so much gray area in this, and I wish we would discuss the gray area more.
00:15:04
Speaker
Um, so I was less obsessive, but I was still like festering on the anger part of it. And I remember, I have a very distinct memory. It was when we were living in Dover, New Hampshire. There was like a parade of Trump supporting trucks going around town and they were blasting their horns and they had flags and people were hanging off the back of the trucks. And like, it was just like this, and it just like all day was going on and on and on.
00:15:29
Speaker
Cole and I had gone to brunch with some friends and then we were walking back. And at one point I just remember like turning to one of them and screaming like, fuck you. And flipping them off and like being like, yeah, ooh, boom. And then I looked at Cole and Cole was like, don't do that. Like that's not you. And at first I was like pissed. I was like, okay, so I can't stand up to like this. I can't stand up to bigotry. I think the reason I screamed at that one was because it had something about how like abortion is murdering babies.
00:16:00
Speaker
That's not. And then I allowed it to sit with me. And I really thought about what he said. That's not me. That isn't me. I am not someone who yells at people. I am not
Media Consumption Critique
00:16:15
Speaker
someone to flip someone off. I am not that person.
00:16:20
Speaker
He was right. That was a low moment for me and it really changed how I view all of this. People can have different opinions. That's okay. They can live their lives differently than me. All I can do is stay true and positive to me. That is what I want to do. At the end of the day,
00:16:41
Speaker
And if I'm surrounded by people screaming hate things, no matter what side it's on, no matter who they're directing that hate at, I want to be the person who is shining light and love and breaking through it all because that is what I want in this world. And that is what I know will push us forward is kindness, is understanding. And that is how we change the minds of people who don't agree with us.
00:17:04
Speaker
I began focusing a lot less on the news and more about how I felt. I met those in opposition with kindness because they truly are where I was. Their opinions may be opposite of me, but they were focusing on their anger, they were focusing on their sadness, and people who are on that side
00:17:22
Speaker
They're looking for people to blame. They're looking for someone to put that blame on for their own misery, for their own things in their lives. Instead of looking inward, they're trying to find someone else to blame for this.
00:17:38
Speaker
And sadly, the people running on that side are giving them people to blame and they're wrong. People of color, the LGBTQIA plus community, women, people with different abilities, immigrants, those are not the cause of our problems. They're just not. And you'll never convince me otherwise. However, when you put yourselves in the shoes of someone who is thinking that, try to remember that what they're doing
00:18:05
Speaker
is missing the biggest point that they need to look into themselves. Because I truly think that as soon as we look inward, as soon as we remember that we have power, that we can change things, that we can change ourselves, we can change our situation, as soon as we remember that that is a power that we possess.
00:18:26
Speaker
then that is when we start to see the side of light and love and kindness. Because we realize I might have made mistakes in my past. I might have made some bad choices, but that doesn't mean my life is over. That doesn't mean I can't change now. That doesn't mean I can find joy in what I have. That doesn't mean I can leave this job that makes me so miserable. I guess that's the way that I've been able to come to a peace with
00:18:57
Speaker
the vast difference between, quote unquote, my side and their side is that I now see it as no longer sides. It is individual people and there are healed people and there are people who are not healed yet. That makes sense. And it's not
00:19:19
Speaker
a community of people that is causing our problems in our country. It's our focus on greed. It's our focus on money, on material things and needs, and on the lack of understanding. It is our lack of education that is causing these problems. It is not a group of people. Let's not get too into that or I'll get real worked up. But yeah, it's not about that. This is not about that. This is not about
00:19:46
Speaker
sides. This podcast episode right here, this is about me talking about protecting our peace, because that is the most important thing we need to do right now. And the trend right now, especially in the media, is very like, he said, she said, she did that, he did this, very tabloidy. I feel like journalism has kind of downgraded from being an incredibly important piece of our societal education to
00:20:17
Speaker
tabloids. It blows my mind sometimes. Like I said, I used to love watching CNN. I saw something and I did my research to make sure this was correct. Obviously, recently, there was the Titan submarine that went down to see the Titanic with the five billionaires and for a few days, we didn't know what happened.
00:20:45
Speaker
during those few days, CNN had a countdown in the corner of their thing, which is something that they started doing in 2016, or at least like really started doing in 2016 was like countdowns to things. But this countdown that CNN had for the submarine was a countdown to when they run out of air. Um, I don't know, I just like, it hit me so weird when I saw that. And I was like, okay, so that's,
00:21:14
Speaker
That's weird. I don't know. We can talk about what's happening. But to have a countdown to when people are going to run out of it, it just was crazy. It was one of those very Black Mirror-y episode feeling like, what world am I in? What is happening right now? Because this is not what this is supposed to be.
00:21:40
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know why that's like that just has stuck with me since I saw it. And like, it's maybe the shock value.
Tips for Political Calmness
00:21:46
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know. It's it's just that like, we got to be so careful where we're getting our information. We have to be so careful how we're getting our information. We have to be so careful what we're doing with our information. And so
00:22:01
Speaker
I kind of have just put together a list of 10 things that I am doing, that I want to share with you to protect our peace during this really crazy time that's coming up to protect our minds, our education, our source, like to protect that we are truly doing what is best for everyone.
00:22:28
Speaker
the most honest way, I guess, if I had to put it into words. Me and this pregnancy brain guy, that's going crazy. Okay, so number one, we're going to choose unbiased news sources to educate ourselves. The top three in America are Associated Press, Reuters, and NPR. Personally, I love NPR. I find it to be extremely factual and about the facts. There's not a lot of opinion.
00:22:56
Speaker
There's not a lot of any ... It's just like, okay, this is the story, this is what happened, next story, which is really what news should be. However, I still do limit the time that I listen to these things. NPR has a great podcast network where they have all different stuff. They have The Daily, which is usually a five-minute episode that I'll listen to, and it's just the important things that are going on.
00:23:19
Speaker
political even guys like this is this is just like news like it'll tell you just like what's happening today like you know they did a great episode about the wildfires in Canada like just things that you should know the things that you actually should know that's that's what they cover stuff that actually is important
00:23:35
Speaker
not what a lot of other news networks are putting out, which is just tabloids. Also, I really love comedic sources of the news. I find them to be extremely unbiased. And while the people who are doing them might be a Democrat, say, or probably support a Democrat, whatever, I think comedy is one of the truest forms of expression as far as honesty goes.
00:24:04
Speaker
and they make fun of both sides and I just love to laugh. I love that they are equally being funny about both sides. I love The Daily Show, Late Night with Seth Meyers, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, but especially last week tonight with John Oliver. If you were going to watch one, I would suggest that one. He does incredibly thought-out
00:24:27
Speaker
just like incredible pieces of journalism. And he usually chooses like one main topic each week. He only does one episode a week on Sundays, it's on HBO. And he will like,
00:24:41
Speaker
just get so into what it is that he's talking about. He did a deep dive into... One week he had two of these main things that he talked about. One of them was about something with buying houses and mortgages, and then the other was about the history of Chuck E. Cheese, because millennials will never be able to buy a house, so we didn't want to... Yeah, it was just hilarious. He's amazing. But he does... I didn't think...
00:25:08
Speaker
that the history of Chuck E. Cheese was important. And then I watched it and I learned so much information that, yes, isn't necessarily, I'm not gonna have a conversation every single day about Chuck E. Cheese, but I now know that they were bought by the other, I have this information, it's made me a more educated person. And obviously he does a lot more important ones. He will break down, I remember one time he did one about a dictator, I don't remember the country,
00:25:38
Speaker
might have been Kazakhstan, but I don't quote me on that, but a dictator on someone over in the Middle East, or I guess that's more like Asia, I believe, or Eastern Europe.
00:25:52
Speaker
he at the end of it had created this giant cake with a picture that the dictator hated of him falling off the horse and all proceeds went to opposition. He just does good things is what I'm saying. I feel like I'm butchering this. He's way funnier. He's way better than how I'm describing this. This is not just go watch last week tonight with John Oliver.
Empowerment through Voting
00:26:13
Speaker
Number two, cross-reference with other sources. We have to do our research, guys. Right now, it just is necessary. There's no
00:26:22
Speaker
There's no way around it. We just have to. So make sure when you see something before you share it, go to a couple other sources. Make sure that it's the same thing, that it is accurate. We cannot just be sharing misinformation. Number three, if a story is about bullshit, ask does it serve me? So obviously lately it's been big in the news that Trump was indicted the first time and now he's being indicted again.
00:26:52
Speaker
I don't like Donald Trump. I don't care for him. However, when all of that started coming out, my first pull was to like, oh, I want to know everything. And then I was like, wait, does this serve me? It doesn't, guys. He's not the president right now. Yes, he's probably going to run again. But I don't like I don't know. I don't it's not that I don't care. It's just that I know that I don't need this information. This is not going to serve me. This is not for my higher self.
00:27:18
Speaker
Same thing with like, I don't know, something's going on with Biden's son. Like right, like stuff like that, the bullshit stuff, that's not what I care about. I don't care about those personal stories. Now, I am extremely happy Donald Trump, Donnie Trump, is officially charged with rape.
00:27:36
Speaker
And I believe that that's what the charge was. Again, I'm not educated on this. That's happy. That's justice being served. And I'm applauding that. I love that. I'm not stooping to that level, though, of allowing that to consume me. I don't need it. I am focused on what is going to change and better this planet, this country, these people. So that is what I care about. I don't care about the bullshit.
00:28:03
Speaker
Number four, as soon as you feel that rise in anxiety, whether it's while you're watching something, someone's talking to you about something, just no, you need to say, okay, I can't talk about this. I've been in so many conversations where someone will be like, yeah, I'm pro-choice too, but, and I have to be like, I'm sorry. I respect you. I respect your opinions. This is not a conversation I can have. I know where my morals lie.
00:28:33
Speaker
I know where my value lies, and I just, I have respect for you, but I don't think of this as a conversation that should continue. And that goes for anything. Cole and I, we've had conversations where we've started to talk about politics or something, and like a lot of it with him, it'll be like economic stuff, which again, just bores me. I don't, it doesn't, ugh, I hate money. So he'll like start and he'll go start to get like amped,
00:29:01
Speaker
And I'll say like, honey, I think we need to just step back, actually. I don't think we need to have this conversation. I don't think this is going to be good for either of us. Not because we have differing opinions even necessarily, but just because we don't need to discuss this right now. If we're discussing it in an aggressive way, not necessarily towards each other, but just with that kind of vibe, then it's not the vibe that we need in our home. Number five.
00:29:28
Speaker
is not interacting except to intervene if someone is being targeted. This is kind of the hard one. Fuck people who want to spew hate. Like I said earlier, fuck that. If they're spewing it into the void though, protect your piece. You don't need to reply to comments on Facebook or Instagram or TikTok. You don't need to say something back. A lot of times that's what they're trying to do. They just want to get a rise.
00:29:59
Speaker
because people who are spewing hate are seeking conflict. Other than that, I think the only true reason to step in is when someone's being targeted, when someone is on the receiving end. That's when you need to step in. That's like, yes, obviously I'm not gonna sit back and let someone scream racial slurs at some, like, no, that's not who I am. That is a justified,
00:30:28
Speaker
fighting back because it is for the purpose of protecting someone else. It is for the purpose of protecting someone. Other than that, don't give them what they want. Don't participate in the anger. Don't participate in the hate. Don't participate in just screaming matches for no reason. Protect people. But if they are just, like I said, screaming into the void,
00:30:58
Speaker
Let them do it. Let them tire themselves out. It's just not worth it. It's not worth it to allow yourself to feel those feelings, to allow anger to rise in you over people who honestly aren't going to stop even if you say something. Like again, obviously we're going to protect those who need protection. We're going to stand up for what's right. But when it comes to just like pointless,
00:31:28
Speaker
internet comments, internet, like then just sit back, block it, report it. There's other ways other than speaking it into existence, I guess. Number six, focusing on my personal journey.
00:31:44
Speaker
my views of the world now and kind of how I hope to see it change. A lot of manifesting, a lot of putting my energy into rising the vibration of this planet and controlling my reality, what I can ascend, like what I can touch, what is here, what is real to me. There are things that I'll never know the answer to. There are things that I'll never comprehend. There are things that are beyond me, but I can control me.
00:32:11
Speaker
I can control what I'm doing. I can control how I interact with the world. I can control the vibration that I'm putting out. And so that is what I'm going to do. And I'm going to do that by focusing on my spiritual journey, focusing on myself, focusing on bettering myself. You can heal the world by healing yourself. That is just a true statement. Number seven, supporting people who align with you proudly, but not necessarily loudly. Our political views aren't meant to be like a personality trait. These people who are driving around trucks with like
00:32:41
Speaker
Trump flags or they have 50,000 Isla Hart Biden bumper stickers, like all that stuff. It's just not like, you can be, you can support someone, you can support a cause. Um, and I guess a cause is better, um, because like I, I do believe in that, but, but supporting a, like, I don't know, you can do it proudly, but it doesn't have to be loudly. You don't have to only wear.
00:33:10
Speaker
American flags. You can do what you need to do. And that includes, you can make donations, you can volunteer. There's all different ways that you can help out with this sort of thing. Number eight, do your research on all levels. Who's running in your town? On a town level, who's running in off years that aren't presidential elections? What's up for election? What are we voting on as far as laws go, local laws? That's how most of the states have had cannabis legalized.
00:33:39
Speaker
has been by the votes that are local laws that are being voted on. Things like that are important. Even if you're reading a law that is being voted on and you see a word that you don't know, look that up. Do that research. Be active in your voting process. Be active in your community. Be active in your town and whatever, on all levels, your town, county, state, and then also national. But honestly, it's the smaller ones that matter more.
00:34:10
Speaker
I loved in California how I had a booklet that would get sent to me that had all of the laws that were coming, and I would spend days before the election reading up on them, making sure I understand what is being put out there. There was a huge, huge pull for us to pass, and I don't remember the exact thing, but it was being advertised as a law to help the homeless. But what it really was was a law to help
00:34:38
Speaker
gambling be more accessible? What you're seeing out there and what something actually is sometimes don't add up. So do that research yourself. Number nine is gather experiences from other communities. If you are a white person, then read Black authors. Read authors from other ethnicities, from other countries even. Expand your horizons beyond small town USA or even big city USA.
00:35:08
Speaker
Expand yourself. If you're straight, go to a drag show and meet people. Open yourself up to others' lived experiences. Gather true firsthand information on how others are living their lives before you pass any judgment, before you do anything really. That experience is something that is so valuable that I think we so often ignore. It's so, so, so important. And then number 10 is to vote.
00:35:36
Speaker
please, please, please, please, please, please, please vote in all elections, big, small, whatever. They are so important. I know that so many of us, especially in our generation, feel like it's not important or it can't make a difference. It can, it makes all of the difference. It is so important that we vote, that we use our voice, that we stand up for what is right, but we also protect ourselves, protect our peace and protect
00:36:07
Speaker
our energy. That's it. We need to protect our energy because without our energy, we can't fight forward. We can't push this country, this world forward without our positive energy. I've been rambling on and on. If you're still here, I love you. Stay high. Bye.