We are addicted to our thoughts. We cannot change anything if we cannot change our thinking.

Santosh Kalwar

If any of y’all are like me and you grew up accustomed to being chastised and ridiculed about your political beliefs, to a degree akin to operant conditioning, then you are probably plagued with the anticipation of rejection when faced with a situation in which you reveal your political identity to another person for the first time. ‘Coming out’ is hard, regardless of what part of your identity you are divulging, because no matter how individualistic and emotionally resilient one is, that feeling of dejection is inherent in our humanity.

But ‘fear’ is a response to a real threat. That mild to moderate terror experienced in the absence of a substantive threat, the one some libertarians experience as they search faces for a response to their lone dissenting voice, is what psychologists calls ‘anxiety’. And it requires treatment, the specifics of which vary in degree and type, but with the unified goal of improving well-being. Social inclusion may not be necessary for survival, but it is certainly not healthy to proactively avoid people, especially for the sole purpose of avoiding a specific situation noninherent to human interaction.

Some people give themselves pep talks. Others remind themselves of the positive effects of their efforts. I spend a lot of time with my libertarian family*. 

Regardless of your personal life, you will never be a good activist if you cannot talk to people, especially about politics, which will necessarily open you up to potential conflict. And if you cannot even convince yourself that your beliefs are valid—if you discredit your own position by presuming its complete absurdity—you will never change the hearts and minds of those still indoctrinated in the religion of the state.

*groups that are tightly knit not only have better communication and more productive efforts, but they are also much more resilient in the face of conflict, because of the support they provide. I really do not believe that groups lacking in a strong social dynamic will ever be as successful—in any way—as an otherwise comparable group which establishes strong personal bonds between members.