If the 2024 presidential election did not go the way you hoped, you might be stressed, disgusted, anxious, despondent, angry, and full of dread. It may feel overwhelming to take in any more worrisome news and you may be wishing you could hibernate in a cave. Or, you may feel motivated to mobilize but at risk of burnout. Here are some ideas for preserving your strength and sanity:
- Consider adjusting your notification settings for the news. If, like me, you instantly feel a tightness in your chest and a surge of stress hormones every time you open your inbox and see distressing news alerts, think about whether you really need to see these headlines instantly or if you should switch to a daily digest format.
- When it is time to consume the news, prepare yourself. Headlines may shock you but they won’t all play out the way you fear. Do not catastrophize. Some of it is just sensational bluster. Hopefully, some checks and balances will hold up. There will be successful litigation.
- Refuse to be rattled. Take a few seconds to relax your jaws, roll your head from side to side, stretch your arms up, do a torso twist, and take a few slow breaths (https://www.healthline.com/health/breathing-exercise). Splash some cold water on your face to stimulate your vagus nerve which will help you feel more calm. Do these things as often as you can but definitely before and after reading the news.
- You absolutely must have things to look forward to before 2028. Plan vacations, social outings, indulgences, and novel experiences. These can be big and small. At any point you should be able to name something you’re looking forward to in the next two weeks. If you don’t have something, schedule it.
- Connect with nature regularly. The day after the election was a gorgeous, sunny, fall day in Philly, and when I stepped outside the weather felt like a total mismatch for my mood…like it should have been cold, dark, and ominous. I had the oddly comforting thought that the birds and squirrels seemed blissfully unaware of the election. Silly and obvious, I know, but also a reminder that there are beautiful days and we should try to appreciate them. Research shows that nature is calming and mood lifting, even when enjoyed virtually. So, if nothing else, at least browse photos of beautiful landscapes or watch Planet Earth.
- Intentionally seek out positive information. Our brains are wired for negativity, meaning that we are better at noticing and remembering anxiety-producing information than positive information. This is because thousands of years ago, the survival of our species depended on it. Our ancestors stayed alive because they constantly scanned their environments for danger while their more oblivious counterparts were eaten by predators. The result is that our brains evolved to keep us alive, but not necessarily happy. It is always a good idea to combat the brain’s negativity bias by intentionally feeding it positive information, but it seems even more important now as we are bombarded by soul-crushing news daily. There are heartwarming stories of everyday kindnesses and the best aspects of humanity out there, if you look. Try: https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/ or https://www.upworthy.com/ or https://www.amazon.com/Awe-Science-Everyday-Wonder-Transform/dp/1984879685.
- Be the good news. Do something in your community that reflects the values you want to see grow in the world. Everyone has different strengths and we can all contribute in some way. Studies have shown that helping others improves mood and even physical health, so you can also benefit from volunteering your time and energy. As a corollary, be willing to accept help from others. We want to live in a kind and interconnected society, right? So don’t forget to let others help you too, even (or especially) if you’re usually the helper. We got this.
