Every time I turn on the radio or tv this week, I hear stories about the upcoming election and the uncertain results. When I check my social media feeds or read an online news article, it’s just as rampant. It’s no wonder that many people are reporting feelings of stress & anxiety about election day. In this politically charged environment, just thinking about election results can trigger the “fight or flight” response in our bodies. Luckily, we can release this stress and shift ourselves back into a calm state by using some simple strategies.
Here are my 5 ways to ease election day stress:
- Set boundaries on your news consumption & limit political conversations. Check in with your body to determine when you have had enough news.
- Are you feeling tense in the shoulders, neck or jaw?
- Is your stomach queasy?
- Is your breath restricted & shallow?
These are all signs that you need to step away from a screen or end a difficult conversation and take a break.
- Take a nature break. Step outside and notice
- The sounds you can hear
- The temperature of the air
- Anything you can smell
- The movement of the wildlife
- The colors of the plants and animals
If you can’t go outside, look out a window, connect with a pet or admire an indoor plant. You could also check out other people’s views outside of their windows around the world at https://www.window-swap.com/
- Take a sensory break. Spend 5 minutes tuning into your senses. Choose one or multiple of the following options.
- Sound: Listen with full attention to an instrumental song or a song with inspiring, positive lyrics.
- Smell: Take deep, slow breaths of something that smells pleasant to you. This could be a flower, an orange, a candle, coffee, vanilla, cinnamon or any other scented item you enjoy.
- Taste: Allow a small piece of chocolate to dissolve on your tongue while you focus on the flavor.
- Touch: Rub your hands together slowly. Can you feel the ridges on your fingertips & the lines on your palms?
- Sight: Pick an object in the room or outside a window & notice the colors, patterns & textures. Pick another object & repeat the exercise.
- Connect with others without talking about politics. Start conversations that focus on what is going well in the lives of your friends and family. Positive moods are contagious. If you need some inspiration on how to do this, try this mood boosting activity.
G-Gratitude: What is one thing that you are grateful for today?
L-Learning: What is something that you learned today about yourself, others or the world?
A- Accomplishment: What is something (small or big) that you accomplished today?
D- Delight: What is something that brought you delight today? What brought you a sense of beauty or made you smile or laugh?
- Take a 5 minute exercise break. Dance to a song, walk briskly, jump rope, do jumping jacks or shake your arms, legs and then whole body. Afterwards, pause and notice how your body feels as it returns to equilibrium. Did you release some physical tension? Is your heart rate slowing down after peaking during the exercise burst? Can you take deeper breaths now?
It is understandable that many people are feeling tension and unease about the uncertain results of the upcoming election. The media does a great job of drawing our attention to these fears. However, there are ways we can regulate our emotions even while watching election results come in. Try these techniques to interrupt the stress response in your body and remember to vote!
I’d love to hear what works for you. Leave me a comment below.
If you would like help dealing with stress of any kind, send me an email at dianna@collierclan.net to request a free consultation.
Dianna Collier 