I think this is a question we are all asking ourselves, given the state of politics in the U.S. and the world. Often I want to run away, to freeze or to break down, because everything I thought was stable in the world was unraveled.  As an idealist, I find it hard to cope with the ways the world is imperfect and even the ways I am imperfect too.  There can be shame in that, and it is where defeatism, even nihilism take root, where they can become malignant. 

But the goal here I think is regeneration and renewal. When we have limited energy, we can tell ourselves, maybe today is not the day, but tomorrow could be.

I'm also reminded of a question I heard a therapist ask one time.  It was, "what role have you been cast in the theater of oppression?"  We know this role well and often have for a long time, but we don't have to swallow it.  And there will be many times in which it will test our resilience.  I like to believe we can constantly regenerate ourselves through connection with ourselves, with our communities, through nature, through creativity, through art and music.  There is a life energy that is boundless.  We only need to keep looking.