5 Tips for Staying Calm During an Election Year

I heard recently, “The reason no one knows how to talk decently about religion or politics, is because we tell people to never talk about religion or politics.”
  
The world has possibly lost the art of agreeing to disagree. Let’s remember: If I don’t agree with something you say, it doesn’t mean I don’t love you or that we can’t be friends anymore. People are different, and we all have different opinions. And that’s okay! Not only is it okay, but it’s what makes the world the beautifully diverse and rich place that it is! A difference of opinion should be embraced, not attacked.
 
One of the most divisive times we live through is the election year. Everyone has an opinion, and some people are a lot more aggressive about their opinion than others. It is important to remember that the main goals of any election year are to exercise your freedom to vote, vote your conscious, and allow other people to exercise their freedom too. Although the election process is far from flawless, it is one of the great freedoms we have in this country. Every person has a voice.
 
So, what do we do when those voices start getting out of hand? What do we do when all the talking heads start to create anxiety within us? What do we do when it seems even our friends and family are attacking each other over political beliefs?

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Here are 5 tips for staying calm this election year.

1. Turn off the news and detox from social media. You’ve heard it said, “You are what you eat.” This is true for everything we consume. If you’re constantly consuming media that is toxic, you’re going to feel toxic.

• Unfriend politically divisive people. Yes, I know it’s your great Aunt Sally. Yes, I know it’s your best friend from elementary school. But if you can’t open your social media without seeing a hateful political message from these people, then unfriend or unfollow them. They will never even know. But YOU will have a break from receiving hateful messages every time you look at your phone.
• Don’t be the politically divisive person. Even more important is to not be the person spewing the hate and aggression. We can share our political beliefs if we want to, but let’s act like adults about it. No need to shame other people for not thinking the same way we do. No need to attack other people for their political beliefs. You, and EVERYONE else in this country, has the right to their own political beliefs.
  

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2. Seek out honest sources – do your own research. This one is pretty difficult to do these days. It seems every time we turn on the TV or radio, we receive extreme, biased perspectives on current events. It is hard to find a truly neutral news source. If anything, please be aware that you are receiving only one side of the story. Once in a while, check out the other extreme news station just to see what the other side is saying. Maybe you’ll see something positive that you would have missed otherwise. And if you can’t find politically neutral news stations, go directly to the candidate and form your own opinions about them.

• Go to their website. Find out what their positions are on some of the major issues that matter to you. See what they’ve done around these issues.
• Go to their debate. Go to where they will be debating or speaking and ask questions.
• Go to their rallies. Listen to what they are saying. What is their message? What issues are they fighting for? Do those matter to you?
• Make your own decision (and tell or don’t tell anyone). If you find your opinion goes against the popular opinions of your friends and family, and you don’t feel comfortable arguing with them, then don’t. No one says you HAVE to share your political beliefs. Keep quiet about them if you want. That’s fine too.

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3. Practice good overall self-care. This is true all the time, not just in election years. Taking care of our physical and mental health is imperative to reducing anxiety.

• Meditate. If you quietly focusing on your breath for even five minutes, it has a great effect on stress reduction.
• Sleep. Getting a proper night of sleep (7-9 hours for most adults) leaves us with enough energy to go through our day and manage stress.
• Exercise. Moving regularly pumps the endorphin ‘feel-good’ hormones through our bodies and also gives us an energy boost. Exercise outdoors for even more health benefits.
• Eat right. Nourishing our bodies with the right vitamins and minerals, and ingredients our bodies were meant to digest, gives us the high-octane fuel we need for more energy, fewer digestive issues, and an elevated mood.

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4. Trust. Sometimes we just need to let it go.

• Trust the Universe/God will take care of you. Whatever your spiritual or religious beliefs are, it is so helpful to realize that the world will go on. Life produces life. The sky will continue to be blue. The sun will keep rising.
• Four years is not the end of the world. When you’re on your death bed at 90 years old, will you be thinking about how these particular 4 years affected you? Probably not. Life is long. 4 (or 8) years is just a blip on the radar.
  

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5. Keep focused on the good things. Your life is filled with so many other beautiful things to focus on. Remember them. Don’t get so wrapped up in politics that you don’t remember the simple, beautiful things in your life.

• Be present with people you love. Your family and friends, even if their political opinions differ from yours, are still your tribe. These are the people that love you most. Be present with them. Set aside your political differences and just love each other anyway.
  
• Practice gratitude for all the good things in your life. Life is good. There is always something to be thankful for. Even when things seem dire and dark, there is ALWAYS something to be thankful for. Focus on that thing. The things we are grateful for expand and grow in our lives. Pretty soon we begin to see even more good in our lives. The more we focus on the good, the more good we see!