How Resisters Stay Strong When the Fight Never Ends
Skill Level: Intermediate
What This Tool Is
When fascism drags on for months (or years), burnout becomes the regime’s secret weapon. They don’t need to silence you — they just need you exhausted, hopeless, and scrolling doom. This guide teaches you how to build emotional armor that keeps you sharp, strategic, and sustainable through long-term resistance.
Why It’s Important
Every movement that wins — from Selma to Stonewall — did so because people learned to pace their fire. Burnout leads to mistakes, fractured groups, and despair that feeds authoritarian control. The longer we stay healthy, rested, and grounded, the harder we are to crush.
Step-by-Step Survival
1. Name the Enemy — It’s Exhaustion, Not Failure
If you’re tired, it doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means you’ve been showing up. Burnout thrives in guilt; starve it with self-compassion.
2. Make Rest a Tactical Choice
Schedule downtime like you schedule rallies. Sleep, walk, stretch, hydrate. Rest is resistance when the regime wants you depleted.
3. Build a Care Cell
Create a small trusted circle for emotional debriefs. No politics, no strategy — just venting, laughing, recharging. Every revolutionary needs a refuge.
4. Rotate the Front Line
Not everyone has to fight every battle. Share responsibilities. One week you’re marching, the next you’re designing flyers or managing supplies. Rotating keeps everyone resilient.
5. Control the Doomscroll
Pick one or two verified news sources. Log off after reading. Don’t marinate in despair — fascists depend on it.
6. Ground Yourself Physically
Breathe. Stretch. Touch something real — the cat, the earth, the kitchen counter. Reality is the antidote to propaganda.
7. Find Joy in Small Wins
Celebrate court victories, donations, or even a well-timed meme. Joy isn’t a luxury — it’s proof we’re still alive.
8. Make a Recovery Plan
If you feel fried, step back before you break. Let your team know. Protect each other’s energy like the movement depends on it — because it does.
Kitty Wisdom
A revolution isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon in steel-toe boots. Don’t burn your claws out trying to light the world all at once. Rest, recharge, and come back swinging. The fight’s not over — it’s just pacing itself.
Sources
- APA – Understanding Activist Burnout
- Harvard Kennedy School – Sustaining Movements for Justice
- NIH – Stress, Resilience, and Activism Research
- The Guardian – Activists Battle Burnout Amid Political Fatigue