Let’s get Resilient (2020 election edition): 16 Ways to Make it Through the Next Few Weeks
Photo by Miguel Bruna via Unsplash
I may be writing this because I know I’ll need the reminder in the coming week(s). But I figure that if I need it, there’s bound to be others out there who might benefit from it too.
In many ways, 2020 has been like a million port-o-potties spilled and the contents caught fire.
And now we come to this election. Under normal circumstances it would happen and be over in a few days. This time, it may be a hard few weeks before we really know the outcome. This is likely to happen with more than just the top office. States with close local, state, or US House and Senate elections may also not have clearly defined winners in those races for a while. There are a lot of things we may not know for some time.
Which means we are going to need ways to stay resilient through the uncertainty and potential emotional rollercoaster of early and mid November. I’ve got a list of 16 ideas that might help. This is not a “do all these things” list. This is a “pick whatever resonates with you, has helped you in the past, or riff with your own ideas” kind of list.
This is also not about accountability or productivity. It’s about self-care, self-kindness, and self-preservation. Because you’re worthy and wonderful. You are needed and important. You are already deserving of all your highest hopes.
I’m going to mention that I am not a mental health professional, dietician, nutritionist, or other licensed wellness expert. These are my ideas and suggestions based on what’s worked for me. I’m not an authority in these fields and I’m not an authority on you.
16 Ways to Stay Resilient During & Directly After Election Day
Meditate. Spend 5 or 10 — or however many work for you — minutes each day in meditation or stillness. You can find a 10-minute body scan and mindfulness meditation here.
Journal. Write it out, all of it. Your feelings, your fears, your hopes, your gratitudes.
Spend some time in nature. Go to a park. Go for a hike, a trail run, or a slow walk in the woods. Sit by a body of water. Sit under a tree. Build a ring of house plants around you.
Exercise. Whatever movement looks like for you, do it. Run, walk, hike, ride a bike (stationary or otherwise), lift weights (or soup cans or books or whatever you have handy), stretch, do a HIIT routine, take an online yoga class. You get the idea. Do what you can to keep your body energized and your mood lifted.
Sleep. Get enough, then get plenty.
Be mindful and deliberate about how much media you consume and when, including social media. You don’t need to wear blinders and shut out the world, but pull back from things — articles, memes, posts, media, etc. — that are depleting you, keeping you up at night, wearing you down, intensifying your anxiety. Information is power, but make sure you are actually getting new information and not just hitting refresh on the same thing. It’s OK to hide or mute that person who posts hourly updates when there are no actual updates. It’s OK to turn off the 24 hour news cycle when there is nothing “new” to see or read there. It’s OK to take a full-on social media break. It’s all OK. Own that.
Do something you’ve been putting off. Not because you need to be productive (you don’t). But because you might have restless energy that needs focus. And it may help to exercise your control over something. There may be catharsis in cleaning your closet. There may be stillness and even joy in organizing all the greeting cards you’ve ever received or your bookshelf or the box of random cords you have shoved in some dark corner.
Be unashamed and unapologetic about indulging in an extra sweet, comfort food, or drink here and there, but remember that what you ingest impacts your body, brain, and emotions. Food is one of my greatest pleasures, and that means dessert as much as it means kale. Am I going to be eating a bit of extra dessert over the coming weeks? Safe bet. Am I going to feel bad about it? No. But, if I go overboard, I will start to feel bad from it. Too many sweets, simple carbs, fried things, or too much alcohol over a few days and my body and brain no longer want to be friends with me. My anger, anxiety, grouchiness, sluggishness (both physical and mental) creep up. I just don’t feel good. Maybe this is not you at all, but if it is and you know it is, just keep in mind that food is sustenance and a big part of staying resilient is sustaining yourself.
Eat good-for-you foods as much as possible. For me that means lots of leafy greens, colorful veggies, fruits, nuts and other plant-based proteins and fats, eggs, dark chocolate, and whole grains. I genuinely like the flavor of those things, yes, but I also like the energy, clarity, stability they help me get when my diet mostly consists of them. Put things that truly fuel you — mind, body, spirit — on your plate. Put things that make you genuinely feel good, not just in the moment but hours later, on your plate.
Watch your favorite movie or TV show or other piece of entertainment that makes you feel good.
Watch cute animal videos online.
Read some light fiction.
Listen to music that calms, uplifts, or strengthens you.
Connect with people you care about and who boost or bolster you. Preferably directly, preferably not through social media.
Focus your energy on what is within your power and control to impact. Chances are you can’t do anything to end the limbo we might be in. No amount of doom-scrolling or arguing on social media is going to change that. So focus on what you can control — how you spend your time, where you put your energy, what you let into your mind, how you interact and (to a degree) with whom. Control and shape what you can closest to you because there is power in that.
Perform acts of kindness, service, support, and compassion. Give to an organization doing work you care about. Pick up trash or litter somewhere you love. Donate food or clothing to a shelter. Do some good. It never hurts and often helps.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, considering self-harm, or are in crisis, please reach out to a trained professional who can help. You can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 You can also text NAMI to 741-741 for text message support during a crisis.
If you are not in crisis but would like to talk or text with a counselor, there are a number of apps and online options, such as BetterHelp and TalkSpace. You can find more information on those and others here and here.
