Today is the day, election day, and for many of us we go in to the day not exactly feeling the kind of hope and excitement that stemmed from the election 4 or most notably 8 years ago. One of my FB friends made the analogy to December 31, 1999 when you knew everything would really be ok when the year 2000 hit but you still hoarded soup cans, unplugged unused outlets, and filled your bathtubs with water. You knew it wasn’t the end of the world but you would feel better when the day was over and you knew it beyond a doubt.
Election season is always filled with debates that cause us to look at friends and or family differently, catfight commercials, exhausting pleas to non-voters, especially those of color to exercise their right and all types of stress about the future. This year however has been all of that on steroids. We have one candidate who has had so much hate filled speech against pretty much everybody that does not look exactly like him and another candidate who hasn’t always left a good taste in our mouth but is way more qualified than the latter. This election does not leave us very hopeful even in the wake of it possibly being an immensely historical election so many of us are feeling pretty ill at ease. Here are a few suggestions to protect your mind, body and spirit today.
- Vote. It’s your right and you don’t want to spend the next 4 years feeling horrible because you could have made a difference. Exercising your right will empower you.
- Log off of social media. If you can focus your work day on the present without engaging in banter with folks you will be better for it.
- Since you will more than likely be up for the night watching the polls indulge in your favorite comfort food, drink and or dessert. The euphoria stemming from your belly to your brain will make you forget for a few.
- Exercise and boost those endorphins. Walking, tag, yoga, they are all mood boosters.
- Wear something that makes you feel bold and empowered. While some are wearing pant suits or all white in tribute to the suffragette movement I am fully aware that movement was not inclusive of women that looked like me. So rock a bold lip, a bold tee that shows how blackety black you are or flip that weave or twist out with reckless abandon and feel your magic.
What are some things that you will do to reduce the angst throughout your day?