A Mindful Approach to Stressors
As we draw closer to the November election, many of us will be exposed to and barraged with increasing media coverage, party polarization, and uncertainty. This can easily lead to feeling overwhelmed. It also means that we will have many people in our lives and our paths walking around with completely normal, but very BIG FEELINGS.
The FSC clinical team offers the tips below to consider. These tips are focused on managing your own emotions, especially as they relate to interpersonal relationships.
Be purposeful in your media consumption.
Consider the following questions thoughtfully. How do these decisions impact how you are feeling during a day?
- How much time is right for me to spend consuming media?
- When should I consume it? What is the best time of day?
- Would it be helpful to control real time notifications on devices?
- How should I consume it? read it? watch it? listen to it?
- Am I balancing negative news with positive news?
- How much time am I talking about it? with whom?
- Do I know when and how to disengage with it?
- What most provokes me? vs. What most informs me?
Proactively plan for balance and self-care.
- Am I spending enough time with other positive, regulating life experiences including hobbies (e.g., listening to music, reading, etc.)?
- Am I nurturing myself through exercise, healthy nutrition, and restorative sleep?
- Am I engaging in healthy interpersonal connections/relationships?
- Am I focused mostly on areas I can control (i.e., what you can do vs. what you can’t do)?
- Am I being mindful each day?
Have a plan when connecting with people at group get-togethers.
- Identify who will be there and create a plan for anyone who may “activate” you.
- Have non-political topics on top of mind to discuss – customized to shared interests.
- Have a plan to shift topics gracefully (e.g., I know we may not agree on this, but let’s enjoy being together with the things we share/have in common).
- Consider the right limits of alcohol and substance use in your ability to manage your reactions.
- Identify a plan to re-regulate should you become activated. Examples:
- Take a bathroom break.
- Engage in deep breathing.
- Practice grounding strategies such as identifying 5 things you see, 4 things you hear, 3 things you can touch, 2 things you can smell, 1 thing you can taste.
Our hope is that this gentle reminder to set some time aside and consider how the environment over the next three months may affect us and those around us, is helpful. We can only control so much – but being thoughtful in just those areas can make a big difference on how we feel each day.
If you find that your feelings are overwhelming and negatively impacting your life, you may benefit from additional support. Our FSC team of experts are here to help.
If you are interested in additional tips and ideas for navigating this election cycle, the link below offers a fuller listing of ideas (Cradock, Pecora, & Dominguez, 2024). How to Manage Stress Related to the US Election.
