I don’t know about you but I feel as though I’m bracing myself for the next election cycle as though I would be bracing myself for a car crash. A big difference though is a car crash would be over in a matter of seconds…. This election cycle has, in truth, already started and will last over a year. The stress and the conflict will last months.
But what if you didn’t need to be stress or have conflict?
While stress and conflict can’t be eliminated through life, we can learn ways to mitigate and manage the stress. Here are some election survival tips
- Limit your news consumption. Decide on an amount and try to stick to it. It is really easy to fall into a spiral, especially during the election season. It’s pretty much all negative anyway. Get in, get the basics and move on with your day. If something warrants additional research, don’t wait for the TV pundits or the radio personalities to give it to you. They want you to stay hooked.
- If you know that your uncle George is vehemently opposed to most things that are meaningful for you and you are only going to argue… Don’t talk to him about it! Why put yourself through it? You aren’t going to convince him and he is definitely not going to sway you so don’t bother.
- Are you defensive about it? If a topic hits a big nerve for you and you can’t discuss it without getting heated, sit with your feelings on that. Is it because the issue is simply too personal? If so, that’s ok but all the more reason to only bring it up in spaces and with people where you feel like you can be really vulnerable. If you feel defensive because you can’t fully articulate you’re point, no problem! Take the time to explore why the issue is so important to you.
- Get involved. If you know there is an issue or candidate that you are on fire for, do something about it! Volunteer, donate, show up for the issue or person and yourself by taking action. I promise you it will feel so much more empowering to do something about it rather than to just get mad.
As always, I’m here. If you are ready to live your best life, call me and let’s get started!