anxiety about the future and politics

Certainly, when you pick up all kinds of information, there are many sources of anxiety...
A place where you belong. My self in the world. What's happening in my country. The society I live in. my own home. The place where I stand.
A broad perspective is necessary in order to live, but taking care of where your feet are also linked to happiness.

I also feel the world situation and economic unease. I hope for the children's future. However, even if you chase them and bring only anxiety, it becomes difficult to feel the happiness of this moment. I don't have the power to move the world or country, but I strive to “live” to protect myself and my loved ones.
Your way of life may help someone else live. Being alive keeps the people around me from feeling sad. The way I live may have an impact on someone. My presence might make someone smile. If we become such a society, I will surely feel happy.

First, let's find happiness in the place where you live. Let's connect with someone and increase the number of loved ones. If we're together, we're less likely to be attacked by anxiety. Being happy will support you.

Hi

Similar to fever, body pain, etc., if your mental state interferes with your daily life, I think it's okay to go see a doctor.

Now, for example, when “people who are uneasy about the Japanese government's response to foreigners” are looking at information on SNS, strangely enough, only information that fuels anxiety about the behavior of such foreigners comes up on SNS, and I feel that the whole of Japan has the same anxiety as myself. However, this is called the “echo chamber phenomenon” or “filter bubble,” and it is because SNS AI selects and displays posts showing user interest, and it seems that biased information is sometimes given.

The “hometown issue” (an issue where the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) certified 4 domestic cities as “hometowns” in 4 African countries and welcomed the migration of immigrants) was later misunderstood and the content was corrected.

I think it's a good idea to look up information gathering on the internet from various perspectives, such as looking not only at SNS but also by looking at related news.

I think the most important political action we can take is to go to an election. Certainly, we have the right to vote for only 1 vote, but in the recent election for members of the House of Councilors, there were major movements, such as political parties that had not had seats until now taking seats. Also, the election results fully conveyed dissatisfaction with the current ruling party.
There are times when I'm not satisfied with the election results, but I think they reflect the world's thoughts well, for better or worse. If you haven't run in an election until now, be sure to go to the next election. Your vote will improve the accuracy of public opinion.
As for participation in demonstrations, rights are guaranteed by the Constitution, so I don't think there is a problem if they have been properly notified and there are no violations of the law such as acts of violence or election violations. If it is based on your principles, I think it's OK to participate to the extent permitted by law. I think it will be an impetus against politics. If an email posting etc. is a good proposal, I think it will be an encouragement against politics. Be careful when emailing so as not to cause inconvenience to staff.
As for anxiety about the future, I think anxiety can be reduced by doing the job well and saving money, etc., such as improving the skills of the job you are currently working at, obtaining qualifications, etc.

Living things always have suffering (instability or dissatisfaction), and every second of every day, living things move around chased by coping with suffering (homework).
In other words, we don't lose our homework every second of every day (dealing with suffering); it just changes the shape of our homework moment by moment.
Therefore, Reiwa has the suffering of Reiwa, you have your suffering, and foreigners have the suffering of foreigners.
When you inhale, the pain of “wanting to exhale” occurs, and when you exhale, the pain of “wanting to inhale” occurs.
With that in mind, no matter how ideal the government is, our daily lives are usually unstable and we don't run out of dissatisfaction, so even if we make a big fuss and clean up the homework in front of us, new homework will come right away anyway, so there's no need to be too desperate.
Also, when political trends are clear, they are predicting this year's trends like fashion magazines.
If the country says that accepting immigrants is a trend, it is good to devise ways to get on the winning horse, such as getting a job in a position where it is profitable if the number of immigrants increases.
As far as I can, that's fine.
It's a life where you can only do what you can do anyway, so if you do what you can do now within a reasonable range, you'll have a successful life.
Even if you get a perfect score on all of your homework, your homework will come back anyway.

I read the post, and it conveyed the pain that political and social movements had a big impact on the mind, and anxiety overshadowed everyday life. I think it's very painful to be swallowed up in a daze wondering “is there any meaning” even though they are thinking and acting very seriously.

In Buddhism, there is a saying “everything is suffering.” It shows the reality that if you're alive, you'll always encounter things that don't turn out the way you want them to. And at the same time, “all acts are impermanent”
It is also explained that no situation is fixed and changes constantly. Here are tips on how to deal with anxiety.

1. Anxiety is proof that “the mind is flying into the future”

When I think about the future and politics, my mind flies to the future and takes me away from the present moment. That's why they are swallowed up by anxiety. Please focus on your breathing and have a habit of returning your mind to the “here and now,” such as the taste of the meal and the feel of the wind. The power of anxiety weakens just by taking just one breath to confirm that “I am certainly living in the present.”

2. Actions are small and separate time

If you keep watching SNS, your anxiety will increase. It is important to set a time for “actions you can do,” such as sending an email, and create a boundary so that you don't look any further than that. By putting a break between “30 minutes of searching and it's over” and “signing only once,” your actions will not put pressure on your life even though they have meaning.

3. Don't think of anxiety as “just my own”

In Buddhism, there is an idea of “shared suffering (good).” The point of view is that suffering is shared not only with oneself, but also with people who have similar anxiety. Isolated anxiety weighs heavily, but just thinking “there are always people who suffer in the same way” makes my heart feel a little lighter.

4. Choices that won't make you unhappy now

If you think too much about the future, your “now” will be sacrificed. However, the future can only be born from the accumulation of “now.” Time to eat with family, time to look at the colors of flowers, and noticing that small “present happiness” is the greatest preparation for the future.

You are looking for a “way to get rid of anxiety,” but from a Buddhist point of view, it is important not to “eliminate anxiety,” but to “live in the present while having anxiety.”

Please don't blame yourself too much and try putting into practice small tricks that don't get too caught up in anxiety.

Gassho