Every day, I give fascism fifteen minutes of my time. That’s it.
Fifteen minutes to email my reps, mail a protest letter, support a boycott, share critical info, or remind people how to stay rooted and ready. Then I shut it down, close the tabs, and turn toward joy.
Not because I’m ignoring the world.
But because joy is the revolution.
The World Doesn’t Need Another Burned-Out Woman
We were never meant to carry the weight of the entire world on our backs.
And yet, so many of us do. We care deeply, we watch closely, we speak out—but the cost of staying in that space all day, every day, is devastating.
It severs us from our bodies.
It disconnects us from our joy.
It wears our nervous systems down to the bone.
You don’t need to be the watchdog and the warrior and the weaver of all things. You’re allowed to rest. You’re allowed to breathe. And more than that – you’re allowed to live.
Because the truth is: when we stay trapped in the adrenaline loop of panic and urgency, we’re easier to control. Easier to manipulate. Easier to exhaust into silence.
And that’s exactly what authoritarianism feeds on: your overwhelm. Your burnout. Your belief that you’re not doing enough.
But what if…
You are doing enough?
What if fifteen focused minutes of intentional resistance is exactly what your body, your spirit, and your community needs from you…. and the rest is sacred?
If we ALL do 15 minutes a day – every single day – then we WILL WIN. It’s about consistency.
Joy Is an Act of Resistance
Fascism doesn’t just attack rights; it attacks spirit.
It flattens culture, crushes creativity, silences music, strips color from the world.
Historically, every authoritarian regime has understood this truth:
You can’t control a joyful population.
That’s why Hitler banned swing dancing and jazz.
Why Franco censored poetry.
Why Stalin outlawed religious rituals.
Why modern politicians are obsessed with controlling books, bodies, and drag shows?
Because joy is power.
Pleasure is power.
The ability to create, laugh, gather, and love freely—that is power.
So no, I don’t feel guilty for spending most of my day in the garden, in my journal, in the kitchen, in creativity, in connection. I feel grounded. I feel clear. I feel dangerous to the machine.
Because when I’m in joy, I remember who I am.
And I remember the kind of world I’m working to build.
A New Rhythm: Soft Rebellion in Two Parts
This is the rhythm I’ve been holding:
- 15 minutes of focused, intentional action against injustice.
- 15 hours of living as if the world I dream of is already here.
That balance keeps me rooted in reality and imagination.
It keeps my nervous system stable and my heart open.
It lets me fight fascism without letting it take my peace.
And no, it’s not perfect. Some days I spiral. Some days I rage-scroll. Some days I forget.
But more and more, I remember.
Because the rhythm is simple. It’s sustainable. It brings me home to myself.
And I truly believe that if enough of us hold this rhythm… if we rise each day with a commitment to action and joy…. we create ripples that reshape the entire field.
The system counts on us staying numb or panicked.
But we don’t owe it our whole lives.
We owe our lives to love. To art. To each other.
15 Tangible Ways to Fight Fascism (In 15 Minutes or Less)
You don’t need to do all of these daily – just one. And always within a limit. Protect your peace like it’s sacred. Because it is.
1. Mail a protest letter to Congress or the White House. (Project Mail Storm has templates if you need them.)
2. Make a single call to your senator about a specific bill or issue.
3. Boycott a corporation funding fascist movements.
4. Use your social media to share a call-to-action, not just outrage.
5. Cancel a subscription or service with a company undermining human rights.
6. Support a small business whose values align with yours.
7. File a public records request to demand transparency.
8. Educate yourself: read one page of a history book or political analysis.
9. Write a letter to your local newspaper editor.
10. Attend a community board or school meeting.
11. Vote in local elections and remind someone else to register.
12. Report disinformation when you see it.
13. Support independent journalism.
14. Refill your printer and stamps so action is always within reach.
15. Create or join an accountability group for peaceful activism.
That is enough. You are doing enough. And your energy is precious.
Now Here’s Where the Magic Happens: 15 Ways to Seek Joy (for 15 Hours a Day)
This is the real revolution.
Because the system counts on us being too depleted to enjoy life.
So we fight back by falling in love with the world again. And again. And again.
1. Step outside barefoot. Touch the Earth.
2. Brew tea like it’s a potion.
3. Create something… ANYTHING: paint, doodle, collage, bake.
4. Write a letter to someone you love.
5. Tend to your plants like they’re little miracles. Because they are.
6. Listen to a song that makes your whole body remember joy.
7. Watch the moon rise. Track her phases. Let her teach you how to cycle.
8. Eat something slow and beautiful. Fruit. Bread. Summer tomatoes.
9. Read a book that makes your heart ache—in the best way.
10. Take one photo of something ordinary but gorgeous.
11. Light a candle and whisper your hopes into the flame.
12. Dance, even if it’s just a little hip sway while doing the dishes.
13. Write in a journal. Or on the back of an envelope. Just get it out.
14. Talk to your ancestors. Thank them. Ask them for guidance.
15. Laugh. At something stupid or sacred or both. Let yourself be light.
Joy recalibrates us to a higher frequency.
And when we live from that place, we naturally become creators of change, not just responders to crisis.
The Revolution Will Be Tender
This isn’t about bypassing reality or pretending everything is okay.
It’s about refusing to let fascism devour your humanity.
You can rage and rest.
You can resist and receive.
You can write protest letters and then go sit in the sun and let yourself be nourished.
That’s what it means to build a life outside of the system’s rhythm.
That’s what it means to be part of the revolution.
So here’s your invitation:
Give fascism fifteen minutes.
Give joy the rest.
Not because joy is frivolous.
But because it is foundational.
It’s how we build the world we long for.
It’s how we remember the world we come from.
And it’s how we stay powerful – even when the system wants us small.
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