Election Anxiety: What If My Candidate Loses the Election?
- desertbloomtherapy
- Oct 24, 2024
- 2 min read
This is a big one, especially this election cycle. Many people are catastrophizing about what might happen if their candidate loses the election. I am not here to discuss whether your concerns are valid or not. I am here to discuss what you can do with your very real anxiety.
It is truly a challenge when you feel very strongly about the potential implications of your candidate losing. However, constantly ruminating on it will not help you or the situation.
Don’t Attach To Your Thoughts
Meditation is a great place to start. Constantly attaching to a thought, particularly a negative thought will only increase your anxiety and suffering. One meditation practice I particularly like is letting go of your attachments to thoughts.
No Judgement – It Will Always Be A Practice
This is a very accessible meditation because it is a practice and will always be a practice. Sit, close your eyes and notice your breath. A thought will arrive. They will arrive and will always arrive so no judgement or despair when you notice them. Name it to yourself “that is a thought”. Then allow it to pass by. Some people like to think of them like clouds passing by or a river flowing out of your mind.
The practice is just that. Notice the thought. Name it. Allow it to pass by. Go back to noticing your breathe. And another thought will come. Repeat cycle. Ultimately, we want to be able to notice thoughts outside of meditation as just that, a thought. So, when you notice your own negative thoughts taking over, you can let them go without becoming overwhelmed by them.
But What If I Feel Disempowered?
Some people will argue that letting go of thoughts around the election is disempowering or not actively doing something about the problem. I would argue that when we become overwhelmed by negative thoughts, we will often become immobilized. By all means, do the activities that feel empowering to you. Vote. Advocate for your candidate. Alleviating your overwhelm through meditation will only help you in these pursuits.
This is just one tool to help manage election anxiety. If you are feeling so overwhelmed that this tool feels inaccessible or does not help enough, reach out for a free phone consultation. These are uncommon times and may require more support.
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