Many Americans are exhausted, and for good reason.

With each new revelation of Trump’s blatant election interference, his capture of all three branches of government, and the ongoing fatal shootings by ICE agents, more and more Americans are recognizing that our democracy is on the brink.

At the same time, the never-ending supply of stories such as the war on Iran, the Epstein files, the destruction of the East Wing, and persistent controversies over foreign policy in places like Venezuela and Greenland keep piling on, reminding us that there’s always more insanity, dysfunction, and outrage waiting in the next headline.

Part of our weariness comes not just from the volume of disturbing news, but from the way right-wing propaganda whitewashes or dismisses these events entirely, spinning away evidence, downplaying abuses, or even defending the indefensible. People see outright cruelty framed as necessary policy and alleged wrongdoing minimized as a non-issue, even when the facts are public.

We’re suffering through a daily torrent of incompetence, dishonesty, and cruelty from the current administration. In the back of our minds, we know there’s even more going on than we see in the headlines. We’re steadily reminded of the many enablers, propagandists, and loyal followers who sustain it.

We watch the most powerful actors in America break our promise to serve as the “leader of the free world,” actively enabling the rise of anti-democratic leaders and movements abroad. We know the world is watching us, awaiting its fate.

All of the above is happening every single day. It’s happening so fast we can’t come up for breath. Of course, we’re tired.

What do we do? We replace our exhaustion with action...

Anxiety without action becomes exhaustion.

Research across psychology, neuroscience, and stress theory consistently shows that purposeful action reduces emotional fatigue and anxiety. Taking meaningful steps, even small ones, toward problems interrupts endless worrying and restores our sense of self-determination. Continued exposure to stress with no outlet for action, by contrast, is linked to greater emotional distress.

Our exhaustion is largely manufactured and orchestrated. It is purposeful because it paralyzes us. As Americans, we should have agency, but we are sitting here helpless, by design.

When people are worn down, they disengage, procrastinate, and lower their expectations. This benefits those in power by reducing our resistance and their accountability. This is how unacceptable things become routine, not all at once, but gradually, as people pull back to protect themselves. Let’s not do that.

Another way to understand this moment is to reframe the news as pressure and our anxiety as a signal or motivator to do something about it. We are being pushed, and if we just sit there and take it, our despair or apathy will increase.

The pressure is on. Most of us want to act, but we don’t know where to start—and that uncertainty is part of what keeps us stuck.

It really is hard to know what to do or where to start. We’ve all heard the list:

• Protests (such as those in Minneapolis)

• No Kings marches

• Calling your congressperson

• Community organizing

• Call banks and postcard writing

• Voter registration drives

• Running for office — any office

Take a look at that list. Every one of those actions matters. They are all ways of practicing democracy, and we should do as many of them as we can. But most of them happen only occasionally or are tied to election cycles. We need more. We need something we can keep working at.

We need an ongoing practice that restores our sense of agency while helping solve the underlying problem. It should be something ordinary Americans can do every day to help our country. Talking with the Trump supporters in our lives is one of the most accessible ways to practice democracy—and protect it.

That may sound like the last thing you’d want to do, but consider the problem we’re trying to solve. Millions of Americans have been immersed in years of propaganda that has distorted truth, eroded trust, and turned neighbors into enemies. Propaganda thrives on isolation. Conversations are how we begin to break through those barriers, reconnect with one another, and help people reconnect with reality.

Not every conversation will change a mind. That’s not the point. Our goal is to patiently help people move away from propaganda and the misplaced loyalties it creates, and toward a more civil, truth-based society that puts people ahead of corporate profits. That’s what practicing democracy looks like.

Below is a simple outline for having these conversations. It’s meant to be adapted to your own relationships, pace, and comfort level. Each of us has different relationships with the Trump supporters in our lives, and they each have different reasons for supporting Trump and MAGA. There is no one-size-fits-all approach.

Let’s break our conversations up into some less daunting pieces.

Recalibrate: Having the right mindset going into these conversations is critical. Calibrate your perspective and expectations.

Prepare: You know the Trump supporters you care about. Visualize and rehearse these conversations. Think through likely responses. Prepare to listen, not lecture.

Engage: Reach out and have a conversation.

Learn: Learn about the person during the conversation. Afterwards, reflect on what worked, what didn't, and what you'll do differently next time. Take their fears and concerns to heart.

Repeat: Keep the relationship going. Change takes time, and every conversation is an opportunity to build trust and strengthen your connection.

Taking action eases exhaustion and anxiety, and it pushes back against the forces that produce them in the first place. And in this case, it may very well save our democracy. This is worth at least exploring.

These conversations can take time. Don’t wait; the Trump regime isn’t.