We're in for a Bull Ride

I always end my newsletter with a meme from the Hunger Games and lately, every day feels like we're sliding deeper into that universe.

Can ya’ll believe it is only January 11th? Photo by twohumans in Canva

If you have ever watched a bull ride, you know the moment I mean. The pen hasn’t opened yet, and the rider is already gripping the back of that animal, knowing they’re about to get tossed and turned and thrown in directions the human spine was never meant to bend. They know they need to hold on for dear life while trying not to break a bone or make any other fatal mistake. They know they’re crazy for picking this ride, but the adrenaline and the rising stakes firm their grip. Everything they’ve trained for must rush to the front of their mind, because it’s now or never.

That was me last Sunday.

I had taken a two-week break from work over the holidays, but somehow I knew upon returning that I needed to be ready to ride that damn bull. As a political reporter covering the legislative session, elections, and an avalanche of other stories in a shifting media environment and world, I assumed 2026 would be a year for the history books. After watching the United States unseat the leader of Venezuela, sitting with a governor vying for reelection, and clicking on a video showing a woman shot by a federal agent (all within my first week back) I feel, for better or worse, that I was right.

I imagine this year feels similar for a lot of Americans. So in preparation for this bull ride of a year, I’ve done a few things I think will help me, and maybe others, survive.

1. Finding Routine in Chaos

I’ve set a morning routine that involves exercise and quiet. The news cycle is completely chaotic. Everything from international norms to vaccine schedules is changing. Whether it’s morning or evening, you may want to carve out something you can protect, something that keeps you grounded and feels constant. I get up at 5:30, get ready, and run. I purposely don’t check my phone or messages at that time so I’m not distracted or slowed down. The world will still be on fire when I’m done lacing my shoes.

2. Setting Personal Goals

I’ve also set some goals. Some involve work, others involve learning to be more present as a mom and a partner. The latter is actually what I struggle with more. My mind frequently wanders to things I could or should be doing when my kids want me to sit with them and play dinosaur puzzles. As a very serious person who does not enjoy kid games, I had to ask ChatGPT for activities I could do with my children that I would actually enjoy. These are goals I had to not only set but plan out in detail. But the forced balance keeps me grounded even as the world seems to spin around me.

3. Guarding Your Focus

And I’ve started worrying only about what I can control. This is probably the most controversial thing I’ve done, choosing to fiercely guard my focus. If problems in the office are above my pay grade, I stay in my lane. If fifty stories are breaking at once, I pick what I can cover and finish it. I get messages almost every day from people wanting me to cover this or that—real problems, things I wish I could take on—but I know I have to focus. Even if the world is burning, my kid may need a snack. And I’ve got to focus and cut those apple slices.

What Does it Feel Like On the Bull Ride?

I recently met with a gentleman from another news network. We had worked together on a large story years ago. It had been years since we’d seen each other, and I could tell that life (and probably the news cycle) had aged him some.

He described how hard it was to stay in love with his work, keeping up with everything going on nationally while navigating the demands of internal station politics in a shifting media landscape. But then he pointed to some stories he had recently worked on, pieces so vivid and meaningful that I remembered them instantly. I had come across them months ago, and they had stayed with me.

And I guess that’s what it means to stay on the bull. We’re riding—finding the beauty in the pain, the strength in the challenge, the courage in the insanity, and resilience through the changes.

YEEE-HAWWWW!

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