Heather Hester offers a guided reflection for parents of LGBTQ+ kids struggling with world events during the holidays. She frames small acts of kindness as activism and shares a one-kind-thing ritual and journaling prompts to move from helplessness to agency.
Chapters
In today's capsule episode, you'll learn how to honor and even act upon the heaviness of the world while also making time for joy. Welcome to More Human, More Kind, the podcast helping parents of LGBTQ+ kids move from fear to fierce allyship and feel less alone and more informed so you can protect what matters, raise brave kids, and spark collective change. I'm Heather Hester. Let's get started. Welcome to More Human, More Kind. I'm Heather Hester, and today is day 9 of our 12-day holiday capsule, More Human Moments for the Most Wonderful and Complicated Time of the Year. These 12 days will guide you through simple exercises and responses to empower you and help you stay grounded and reflective. You don't have to conform to holiday pressure. Your peace and presence are the rebellion. These are not fluffy holiday tips. They are real moments for real humans. Today we're talking about something universal: the heaviness of the world. By the end of today's short episode, you'll understand why global overwhelm spikes during the holidays. You'll learn a grounding lens that moves you from helplessness to agency, and you'll practice a 1-minute kindness ritual that shifts your entire emotional state. So let's get into it. I know today is Christmas for those who celebrate. And I intentionally chose this topic for today because our concern for global events doesn't take a day off. And sometimes it's hard to know what to do with that. So here is the scenario. You're trying to relax on the couch, but your feed is full of heartbreaking headlines. And stories about harm, violence, and injustice, especially toward queer and trans people, immigrants, and people in marginalized communities, and voices expressing dissent. You feel heavy and helpless, and you feel like no amount of holiday cheer can cut through that. The world is loud right now. The news cycles are relentless, and there is constant chaos. First of all, I want you to remember that so much of this noise is by design. But the pain we see and feel, especially for marginalized people, is real and can feel suffocating. Before you start beating yourself up or falling apart, remember your nervous system wasn't built to absorb the entire world. In fact, as a spiritual teacher once shared with me, you can't, I can't be helpful if I'm drowning in the pain of feeling for others. But what we can hold is one moment of compassion at a time. This is where microkindness matters. What does that look like? Well, it could be a kind text sent from the heart, a warm smile, truly seeing another human being, holding the door for someone and intentionally pausing Donating $5 because you care, not because you feel you should. Checking on a friend out of concern, not to check a box. Affirming your child, celebrating who they are now and who they are becoming. These tiny actions don't solve everything, but they do keep your heart from going numb. And they create ripples, which then become waves. So the strategy is microkindness as activism. Accept that you can't hold the entire world, but you can choose one small act of kindness or justice today. So today's ritual is one kind thing today. I want you to, if you're able, close your eyes and ask, what is one kind thing I can do today? And then choose it, do it, make it count. If you need a little extra time to reflect on this one, try journaling about this question. What is my one kind thing today for myself, for my child, or for my community? Thank you for taking this pause with me today. These small steady practices are how we stay grounded, connected, and courageous this time of year. If today's reflection felt supportive, Please share it with someone who might need it. And for more resources, weekly reflections, and support, visit heatherhester.net. Tomorrow is day 10 of this holiday capsule, and we will discuss how to have joy without guilt. Until then, remember, your kindness is not small. It's just the beginning.
