Election Day is approaching quickly. For many, just being reminded of that fact can cause uneasiness. We are living in times of chronic uncertainty and polarization, and it’s normal to have anxiety about the presidential election and the unknowns of the future.
The presidential election has become a particularly significant source of stress for many, with it feeling like so much is at stake.
Many of my clients report:
- losing sleep
- having strained relationships due to political differences
- and difficulty managing their news intake despite the negative impact it has on their mood.
I am asked repeatedly by my clients:
Is it possible to stay informed and engaged without it feeling so bad?
There are basic strategies for regulating emotions that can work to reduce stress about politics. Many of these strategies include cognitive reappraisal techniques, which aim to modify your emotional response to an experience by changing your thoughts.
More specifically, it involves looking at an emotionally charged situation from different perspectives than the ones that automatically come to mind.
The downside of some of these strategies is that they may decrease motivation to remain politically active. The negative emotions that were driving our behavior are reduced and therefore, so is our motivation to act.
At times when we are feeling more helpless or despondent, we tend to forget that positive emotions and experiences can be motivating as well. Hope, gratitude, and joy can help build enduring physical, intellectual, social and psychological resources.
Positive emotions motivate us to pursue important goals, allow us to be more present in important experiences and reinforce adaptive behavior patterns.
More specifically, being connected to something bigger than ourselves, like an effort to register voters across the country or sending postcards to remind people of the upcoming election and where they can vote can provide you with a sense of purpose.
In this way, we are taking responsibility for something we can control and are advocating for something we believe in.
Here are a few things to help generate positive emotions to combat election stress:
Practice mindfulness on a daily basis.
Breathe, meditate and/or add a simple yoga routine into your day, preferably first thing in the morning. Mindfulness will help you access calm in the present moment and help you to avoid worrying about the future.
View challenges as opportunities to learn, grow, and build resilience.
Understand that for each of us personally, as well as the global communities, challenges are opportunities for learning and positive development.
Take responsibility for what you can control.
We can try to control our own thoughts, how we handle our emotions, our behaviors, and the decisions and choices we make. There are so many opportunities to take action and advocate for what we believe in, including volunteering, donating, voting, and more.
Surrender what you cannot control.
Remember we cannot control other people’s thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and choices—nor can we control the weather or global dynamics. This is especially hard and takes practice but enormously helpful for our wellbeing.
Practice self-compassion and empathy and compassion for others.
Remember to cut yourself some slack and extend the same grace to others. Our beliefs and feelings are a normal response to our nature, nurture and life experience. Model compassion for your children and teach them to practice empathy.
If you have tried some of these strategies and still find yourself full of stress around the election, it may be helpful to talk with a therapist. Please contact us today to schedule an appointment.