Are you feeling unsettled, restless, or outright stressed and overwhelmed this election season?
Election season stress can come in the form of relationship strain, hyper-fixation on heavy topics, and fear about the future. The political issues in question have massive significance, and the impact of the election results will be felt on both a global and personal level for many. It’s reasonable to expect an election this high stakes to have a deep impact on our lives mentally and emotionally.
Here are my Top Three Tips for coping with stress this election season:
(1) Relationships Can Come First
In many cases, you can hold true to your ideals and beliefs without sacrificing relationships. Sometimes this can look like lively debate that pushes back on ideas, not the person you care about and their character. Sometimes this can look like setting a boundary that certain topics can’t be discussed safely and/or constructively, so mutually you will avoid those topics to protect the relationship.
A good rule of thumb: avoid cheap shots and oversimplifications. Assume good intent in one another.
Striving for a safe enough environment to express yourself authentically is certainly a worthy goal, and, this is sometimes not possible in many of our families and communities. We don’t always show up to political discussions in good faith, and we need to be aware of when this is happening within ourselves and others.
Healthy conflict about issues that matter is a good thing, and, knowing when to step away is an important skill.
There is not a one-size-fits-all approach to navigating relationship strain during election season. What you can do is consider the complexities of your own unique relationships and be intentional about how you want to center the care and concern you have for your loved ones while still being true to yourself and your values. Growing a tolerance for loving disagreement is a worthy goal, as well as knowing when to set aside the hot topics in favor of here-and-now connection.
(2) You Can Unplug Sometimes
In generations past, we got our news from the morning paper and the evening broadcast. Now, we can access round-the-clock coverage in a way that is overwhelming to our nervous system. We’re aware of breaking news faster than ever and the well of fear that keeps us clicking and scrolling will never run dry.
You don’t need to analyze and respond to every issue
Social media pressure to have our own hot takes on every topic can be curbed, and you can give yourself permission to keep your thoughts private or to disengage from certain discussions. This does not mean retreating into apathy, but humbly accepting the limits of how much your heart and mind can hold, and avoiding justice work burnout.
Part of this self-care practice is accepting that others may have a negative opinion of your choice to disengage, and that’s okay. Exercise your own agency to set your phone down and be intentional about how you expend your mental and emotional energy.
(3) Believe That You Are Resilient
None of us know exactly what lies ahead, at the end of this election season or otherwise. What we do know is that the future will bring both blessings and curses globally and personally, and that humans are in fact a resilient species. We all have tales of overcoming hardships in our past, and the same will be true for our future.
It does no good to say “this hard thing won’t happen.”
What we can say is, “if this hard thing happens, I will handle it.”
Our wounded inner child has a tendency to respond out of fear, in ways that harm us and our relationships. Our adult self, with the wisdom of life experience, responds with appropriate action.
Can you give yourself permission to trust your own wisdom and resilience to take on the future?
If you’re interested in digging deeper into how these tips can be applied to your life, click here to inquire about a session with me today.