When the World Feels Too Much, Breathe First , Then Take Action
I'm not alone in feeling sad right now.
Disappointed in humanity. Afraid for my children. Afraid for all of our children.
If you've been scrolling through the news lately and feeling like your chest is too tight to breathe, like the ground beneath you has shifted in ways you can't quite name, you're not broken. You're paying attention.
Recent events, including the tragedy in Minneapolis where federal immigration enforcement actions resulted in civilian murders, including the murder of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse , have shaken many of us to our core. When systems meant to protect people instead cause harm, something deep inside us recoils. And that recoil? That's not weakness. That's your nervous system doing exactly what it's supposed to do.
But here's what most conversations skip over entirely:
You can feel all of this, deeply, and still show up with coherence, compassion, and real impact.
That's where Pet Medicine and conscious civic action intersect. And honestly? It might be one of the most important intersections we navigate right now.
Your Nervous System Isn't Broken, It's Responding
When horror enters our awareness, our bodies react first. Fear. Grief. Anger. Dread. That tightness in your throat, the heaviness in your limbs, the racing thoughts at 3 AM, those aren't signs that something is wrong with you.
They're signals from your nervous system saying: something matters here.
Your body is designed to respond to threat. The problem isn't the response, it's what happens when we stay stuck there. When we react from activation instead of responding from regulation, we often make choices that don't actually reflect our values or create the change we're hoping to see.
Here's the truth that changed everything for me: Your frequency matters.
Your nervous system signals ripple into your communities, especially when you're with animals, children, or people whose safety you hold in your heart. When you're dysregulated, that energy spreads. When you're grounded, that spreads too.
This isn't about toxic positivity or "good vibes only." This is about strategic emotional regulation so your actions actually land.
And yes, we need to do more than complain or post online. We need actions that reflect regulated care instead of activated fear.
Before You Act, Breathe in Love.
Before you write that email, make that call, or show up at that meeting , come back to your nervous system first.
This isn't soft. This is strategic.
Try this: Sit with your pet (or imagine them beside you). Place one hand on your heart and one on your belly. Slow your breath. And say quietly to yourself:
"In this moment, I choose to feel love. I choose to ground before I react."
This isn't denial. It's preparation.
If you want to explore more about how pets help anxiety and support nervous system regulation, this post on what our pets know about the nervous system is a great place to start.
🐾 Paws 4 Connection (Regulate Yourself First)
Your nervous system is a generator, not an accessory to activism.
Before scrolling, before reacting, before anything, connect back to right now. Notice your breath. If your pet is nearby, let yourself really feel them: their warmth, the steady rhythm of their breathing, the soft weight of them leaning in (even a little).
Give yourself 60 seconds and try this:
Inhale slowly for 4 counts
Exhale for 6 counts
Whisper: "I’m here. I’m safe enough in this moment to take my next step."
Connection is how you come back to your body before you try to hold the whole world.
🐾 Paws 4 Movement (Move Energy Into Action)
Animals shake off stress instinctively. They don’t store it the way we do.
So after you read something heartbreaking, or after you take a small action, move. Shake out your hands for 20 seconds. Roll your shoulders. Take a slow walk with your dog. Let your body discharge some of the activation so you’re not trying to “do good” from a place of panic.
Then, if you have capacity, channel that energy into real-world action:
Support organizations doing civil rights work
Support legal oversight of enforcement actions
Support community support for impacted families
And yes—contact Congress. (Small, grounded actions add up.)
Find your representatives:
House: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Senate: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm
Here’s a simple script you can copy and paste:
> "Hello, my name is ___ and I am a constituent. I'm concerned about recent federal law enforcement actions, including civilian deaths during enforcement operations. I'm asking for accountability, transparency, and respectful oversight of enforcement agencies, and support for policies that protect human dignity and public safety. Thank you."
Then pause and take one slow breath. You did something real.
🐾 Mindful Paws (Mindfulness) (Align Your Voice With Values)
Mindfulness here doesn’t mean “be zen.” It means you gently re-orient to what’s actually true in this moment.
Look around you. Name 3 things you can see. Notice the temperature of the air on your skin. Feel your feet on the floor. Look into your pets eyes.
Mindful Paws helps you distinguish between:
present reality (what’s happening right here)
and news-induced fear (your nervous system trying to time-travel into every possible worst-case scenario)
From this steadier place, your words get clearer—and your actions line up with your values, not your adrenaline.
🐾 Paws 4 Tapping (Processing Emotions) (Show Up Locally and Peacefully)
This is where you let emotions move through instead of turning into numbness, snapping, or shutdown.
“Processing emotions” can look like:
Naming what you feel (grief, anger, fear, helplessness)
Doing a few minutes of gentle tapping (if you use EFT)
Or simply placing a hand on your chest while your pet stays close and you let the feeling be there without judging it
From that softer, more honest place, you can show up with Kind Attention:
Attend peaceful community meetings, local advocacy boards, or town halls
Offer support to families who’ve lost loved ones
Listen more than you speak
Your pet models this so well: steady presence, no fixing, no judgment—just withness.
🐾 Paws 4 Reflection (Return to Life With Steadiness)
After action, you come back. After giving, you replenish. Reflection is what makes your care sustainable.
Take 2 minutes at the end of the day and ask:
What did I take in today?
What did I do (even one small thing) that reflects who I want to be?
What do I need now to feel more steady?
For a simple ritual that supports this, try The Daily Unload : a pet-powered ritual to release stress before bed.
Your Love of Animals Is a Force for Change
Here's what I need you to understand: Your belief that our love of animals can make an impact isn't whimsical : it's physiological.
Animals anchor us in the body. Being anchored in the body creates clarity. Clarity makes our actions coherent and compassionate. And coherent, compassionate action? That ripples more widely than any reactive post ever could.
When you act from regulation, you become a tuning fork for others. Your nervous system helps their nervous system settle. That's not just nice: that's how we shift culture.
A Closing Thought
You can be both:
Deeply affected by injustice
Committed to raising frequency through presence, compassion, and action
These are not mutually exclusive.
You don't have to numb your feelings to make a difference. You simply start here, regulated, embodied, and aligned.
And then you act.
Quick Recap: How to Show Up When the World Feels Heavy
Regulate first : breathe with your pet before reacting
Use the 5 Paws to ground your response
Contact Congress with clarity, not chaos
Support organizations doing the work
Show up locally with kind attention
You're not alone in this. And you don't have to figure it out by yourself.
Want More Support?
If you're looking for gentle, pet-powered tools to help you navigate overwhelming times, I'd love to have you in our community.
👉 Join the Paws 4 Wellness community here
About the Author
Jennifer Bronsnick, MSW, LCSW, is a licensed clinical social worker with over 20 years of experience supporting anxiety, ADHD, and emotional overwhelm. She is the founder of Paws 4 Wellness and the creator of Pet Medicine: a gentle, science-backed framework that uses the human–animal bond to help people regulate their nervous systems, feel safer in their bodies, and build everyday emotional resilience. Jennifer believes pets are not just companions: they're co-regulators, teachers, and anchors back to wholeness.
Explore pet-powered practices, free resources, and the Paws 4 Wellness community:
👉 https://linktr.ee/paws4wellness