I have to be completely honest about last night. After voting in the early morning and a long day, I ate some leftovers, read a few more chapters in my current book, and promptly settled in for a night without constant exit poll updates or electoral vote counts or even the acceptance speeches. Staying up and passionately watching the results come in is not my thing. I recognized that engaging in this way is not healthy for myself, as my anxiety grows with each passing minute of election coverage.
Today, the strong negative and positive feelings Americans have towards Donald Trump winning are felt, heard and seen online. Regardless of where you stand, today it is important to engage in some relaxation exercises to alleviate stress and intense feelings you may be feeling or witnessing about the election.
Today I took my lunch hour on the move, walking around the beautiful lakes and streams in Winona. Forest bathing, developed in Japan in the 1980s, is a low cost, restful way to take care of ourselves. Forest bathing is a simple idea in that simply visiting a natural area results in calming and rejuvenation of a person’s energy level.
Friends of mine have similar plans to take care of themselves today as well. One plans to visit with a friend’s dog, reaping the benefits of animal interaction. WSU Counseling & Wellness Services offers Wednesdays with Winston at 5pm in the Well (IWC 138) each Wednesday. Make an effort to catch Winston today and get your probably much-needed animal fix.
Others have plans to spend the remainder of November disconnected from social media at some level. This will alleviate a lot of stress surrounding reactions and opinions to the election that are posted online. “No Media-ember” is a great way to control the amount and sentiment of the social media you interact with. Take the newly found extra time to learn to juggle or paint by numbers or try forest bathing.
As equally important as taking care of ourselves, it is okay to express negative emotions relating to the election outcomes. For some people, the results can be triggering or traumatizing. We need to share with others it is okay to feel this way and it is okay to discuss this in a respectful and healthy way. Reducing the stigma around coping is important for all. Take all opportunities to reach out and respond mindfully and compassionately to others, as even silence or inaction is a response. It may take time to cope with and face the many challenges as an individual and as a country.
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
-Martin Luther King Jr., Strength to Love, 1963
-Kate Hansen, MPH; Health & Wellness Promotion Coordinator
