How To Cope With Election Stress
I'll try to help.
There is no doubt about it. People are stressed about the election. We are living through uncertain times. Unfortunately, we humans do not do well with uncertainty. It sets off thoughts, and wondering, and anxiety. It’s hard to live like that, especially for an extended period. In daily life, we never know what is around the corner. With the election, we know something is coming, and the stakes are high.
Also, things have gotten weird and our sense of normalcy is no longer stable. It can also be hard to imagine a future when things won’t feel so polarized. The election is playing out against a backdrop of extreme weather and wars. At times it feels surreal.
The bottom line? The election is upon us and it feels fraught and weighty.
So, yes to the anxiety question for me. We have strayed far from “normal" and who knows what is coming next.
I will tell you what helps me feel better about election anxiety, and if you have any thoughts, please, help everyone out by dropping your coping strategies in the comments at the end of this post.
The usual things are always helpful — good sleep, exercise, fresh air, laughter, time with friends, and distraction in the form of lighthearted music, books, TV shows, etc., gratitude, looking for joy. When things feel heavy, keep distractions light. But for many of us, this is not cutting it. So now what?
The physical act of voting will help you feel empowered, as will assisting others with making their plan to vote.
It also helps to keep in mind the following:
The next week doesn’t decide our futures forever. Things change and they tend to progress for the better.
We are all in this together, divided as we may be.
As to the future, things have a way of moving forward. Yes, we have had alarming backslides. People have lost rights— their lives even. But when things become the darkest, the most progress is usually made. I’m not saying it will be easy, but history has a way of righting itself. Things ebb and flow, but in the long term, things tend to improve.
I live in Michigan, a swing state where political ads are inescapable. Candidates at the top of the tickets have been campaigning here pretty much daily. My mailbox is stuffed with postcards and flyers. Some are violent and meant to instill fear - a lot of them actually. Yards are dotted with opposing signs — a neighborhood divided.
We are all responsible for the world we live in. As a democracy, we have the opportunity to participate in our own governance. Don’t take that lightly. Our vote is an immense privilege and a reminder that what we do matters. We get to vote for what is important to us. It is our duty.
Sometimes, elections go our way, sometimes they don’t. When they do, we ought to act with civility. When they don’t, we regroup and begin again.
Here is my wellness tip. When we get into a difficult conversation about the election or find ourselves caught up in fear and worry, it helps to have a way to settle ourselves. You’ve heard the expressions—level-headed, even-tempered, a steady hand? Keeping yourself calm is the way to go.
When I get off center, it helps me to even out my breathing. Four counts in. Pause. Four counts out. Pause. Steady inhales, and gentle but complete exhales for at least four rounds. No one has to know you are doing this technique and you can do it anywhere. Lengthen your exhale to facilitate relaxation. There is a guided breathwork audio recording that expands on this technique below.
Uncertainty will continue, and we need to get comfortable with that. A consistent meditation habit helps.