Whether we are Democrats, Republicans, or Independents, some of us are deeply worried about this upcoming election. We may believe that the candidate we oppose will lead our country into peril. Maybe we've decided not to vote or to throw our vote away. We are worried not only about what happens on election day but also about the weeks and months afterward when chicanery and insurrection may interfere again with the peaceful transfer of power. What can we do to take care of ourselves?
Once we've already decided how we want to cast our ballot and where and when to do it, there are many steps we can take to reduce anxiety. 1)Remember, you can do little to change the vote outcome. Go ahead and vote early. However, you can still donate to candidates you support, phone bank, or volunteer to help get out the vote. For some people, it feels better to be involved. If it doesn't feel right to you, don't do it. 2) Avoid media outlets whose business plan is to inspire fear, hatred, and hopelessness. You don't have to let them manipulate you. It is harmful to your health to listen to lies, bigotry, and vulgarity, whether it's first-hand or second-hand. 3) Clean up your act: censor your judgments, don't overeat, overindulge in substances, or become a couch potato. Go outside for a brisk walk or to watch the sunset. 4) Get plenty of mindfulness practice and sleep, choose a compelling book and dive into it, listen to music, get a massage, have sex, spend time with pets, birdwatch, and clean your house. You should have a clean house for the apocalypse! 5) Most of all, interact respectfully and compassionately with others. Greet the neighbor who has planted a sign for the candidate you dislike beside your driveway. Smile, throw up the peace sign, and comment positively on the fall foliage or their dog. 6) Practice accepting each moment, each situation we are in, and even the risks of our world. Acceptance can feel powerfully better than clinging to nonacceptance. No bad election is worth missing the joy of being alive for the next few months.
In New Mexico, fall is when we see tarantulas. We are most likely to see them crossing the road or, if you are in a wild place like I was the day I took these pictures. Tarantulas look very scary, but they are harmless. They don't have venom, and they rarely, if ever, bite. I won't go so far as to say this election is harmless. I consider it to be a very dangerous one. But moment by moment, through practicing mindful awareness, we will likely survive whatever happens.
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