I’m not ashamed to admit I’m a total shit-show after the election yesterday. These are the self-care things I’m working on, maybe they’ll help you too.
WHEN GIVEN THE CHOICE BETWEEN BEING
RIGHT OR BEING KIND, CHOOSE KIND.
― R.J. Palacio, Wonder
Choose kind. Be kind to yourself and others. Take a mental-health day from work.
Celebrate or grieve. For better or worse, yesterday was a monumental shift in American history. Give yourself permission to acknowledge and process it.
Feel the feels. It’s ok to feel and express emotions – it’s part and parcel of being human.
You are not alone. Regardless of which side you voted for, ~50% of the population agrees with you: you are not alone.
Look local. Significant local issues were on the ballot all across the US. Don’t let successes there be overshadowed by what happened at the federal level.
Ignore the markets. The stock market likes certainty and that got shot all to hell. Volatile times may lie ahead. History tells us that a well-diversified portfolio will weather the storm. Hang tight and don’t act rashly.
Exercise. Moving does the body good, be it a walk, run, hike, or kickboxing class. Sometimes it just feels good to punch something.
Avoid hyperbole. It’s too easy to make grand statements filled with absolutes based on what happened yesterday. Resist the urge to say things, particularly on social media, that you might later regret.
Take a social-media vacation. Consider stepping away from the computer or phone. Create some art. Read a book. Write your mémoire (NaNoWriMo anyone?). Have dinner with friends.
But most importantly: choose kind.
I love the things that you’ve given me
I cherish you, my dear country
But sometimes I don’t understand
The way we playI love the things that you’ve given me
And most of all that I am free
To have a song that I can sing
On election day
― Norah Jones, My Dear Country
Digital Ramblings 