It’s Election Season!
Happy National Stress Awareness Day!
I’m finding the placement of this day of recognition particularly poignant right now as we are swimming in this environment of international wars and national disasters. And right in our backyard we are facing the fear and animosity of an intensely charged election season.
Most of us are feeling some level of stress and overwhelm as election day approaches, bombarded as we are by polarizing political ads, divisive rhetoric, high stakes, and a seemingly endless barrage of information. We feel anxious about how our futures will be impacted and powerless in the process. We worry about the outcome, and we might worry about what happens next. How does this stress show up in us? We might have trouble sleeping and focusing, have headaches and muscle tension, see changes in our mood and motivation, and feel more irritable and less tolerant.
I wanted to pass along some strategies and links to some practices that I have been finding helpful in managing my own responses this season.
Boundaries! Please keep an eye on how much content you are taking in from news and social media. Sure our social media content is curated to offer us exactly what we want to see (and purchase!) but that doesn't mean it isn’t still stressful. All that energy from those big emotions and confrontation posts has to go somewhere, and usually, we are the ones taking it in. Depending on what news you watch, you might find yourself passionately agitated, mildly miffed or cautiously hopeful. When what we are seeing seems contradictory, we don’t know what to trust, and our unease deepens. So take a break. Limit your news checks to once or twice a day. Take a break from social media. Recalibrate the logarithm and search for nature content and pet videos. And do a quick check in with yourself before and after social media time - how is your mood? How does your body feel? Are you feeling more relaxed and peaceful after your doom scrolling? Yeah, I didn’t think so.
Practice mindfulness. That little check in I just suggested for before and after social media? That’s an example of practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness helps us tune back into ourselves, allows us to soothe our nervous system, reminds us of what we can control, and builds resilience to all the out-there stressors. So breathe, practice grounding exercises, use an app to find a guided meditation. You can check this one from Tara Brach or this Silent Retreat from the Center for Mindful Self Compassion.
Focus on What You Can Control. Part of the reason this season is so overwhelming is because so much feels outside of our direct influence. So focusing on what you can control - like voting, volunteering (it’s not too late for a little phone banking!), or even talking calmly with others can feel empowering. Or at least like you did everything in your power. And that can shift us from feeling helpless to proactive, which helps reduce the anxiety.
Stay Connected to Supportive People. Talking with friends, family or others who share your views can be a good way to stay grounded and socially connected. Sharing your concerns and hearing others perspectives can help relieve the tension, can help you feel validated, and sometimes offer perspective. Make sure the conversations don’t get too heated, since this just creates the opposite effect. If tensions do rise, practice your self care and boundary setting to calmly remove yourself from the situation: “I appreciate your viewpoint, I can see we aren’t going to agree here, so I’m going to exert my freedom to remove myself from this conversation.”
Get Moving! Exercise is a proven stress reliever, and the endorphins boost your mood. Go outside for the extra benefit of being in nature, also a known stress reducer. It helps you feel stronger, builds your connection to your physical presence which is so important for grounding, and helps to remind you of the world outside of yourself. So go for a walk, hike or jog, do some yoga or somatic movement or hit the gym. What you do matters less than making the time and doing it.
The stakes feel high right now, there is a lot of tension in the air, people feel more agitated, so the anxiety we are feeling is real. Try to take some steps to care for yourself so you can navigate this season with resilience.
