Political De-stressing

The US has just gone through a horrendous election season with one presidential candidate capturing the Electoral College vote (by 74), while the other took the actual vote (by more than 2.3 million).

And the process itself left a lot to be desired. Most major news organizations predicted the democratic candidate would win handily. It didn't happen, leaving many voters going to bed late that evening, or waking up the next morning, completely stunned.

As this post is being written, the results are being disputed by two of the political parties involved. The republican candidate during the final debate stated that he would wait to see if he'd abide by the results. He also openly said that the election process was rigged. Now, ironically, he's criticizing the recount efforts as being rigged against him.

Frustration levels are high, with both the republican and democratic candidates (who were among the most disliked candidates in modern history); and with our political system itself, including the electoral process.

What I hope to offer here is a way to get beyond the emotional gridlock that such disappointment and confusion brings.

1. Stop focusing on political news.
Give your mind time to rest. Stay informed, but not to the point of obsession. The election is behind us. It's highly unlikely that a recount challenge is going to change the electoral college vote significantly enough to influence who won.

2. Channel your frustration positively.
Frustration isn't a negative thing. It can be used to fuel positive involvement. Make an effort to find outlets for the disappointment, confusion or concern you are feeling.

3. Get involved outside of the political arena.
Volunteer to read to a child at your local elementary school. Volunteer at your local soup kitchen, food pantry or fresh food distribution. (If you don't know where your local food pantry, soup kitchen or fresh food distribution sites are, contact your local food bank.) Make a financial contribution to an organization that is currently helping to feed, clothe or educate children and their families. Pick a social issue and become passionate about it at the local level.

4. Meditate.
At it's simplest form I'm advocating taking 10-20 minutes each day to sit down, relax and get the distractions of daily living out of your mind. As a person with a Judeo-Christian viewpoint, I focus on God during this time. Inviting God to cover (or protect) the time of meditation and help facilitate a strengthening of the relationship I have with God.

5. Be purposely thankful.
For some of us, next week marks the beginning of the Advent season. Advent traditionally lends itself to circumspection. To pausing. To go deeper spiritually in anticipation of Christmas. I would add that, at least in the Northern Hemisphere, this season is a natural one for contemplation and giving thanks. And it isn't limited to any particular denomination or belief.

Being purposely thankful has lots of proven benefits. Among them less stress, increased mental health and creativity and a heart that is more readily loving, empathetic and giving.

A final note to anyone who voted republican: Although your candidate may have won the Electoral College vote, God isn't a republican. Please don't assume that God is "blessing" the president-elect in a special way, or approving his post-election actions. Please don't assume that the US has special favor in God's eyes. God is above politics. Or nations. God's perspective is much larger than ours and includes not only the earth, but the entire universe.

A final note to anyone who voted democratic: Please remember God isn't a democrat. Please don't assume the worst is going to happen. Stay vigilant, engaged, but not enraged. Remember that neither party's candidate mentioned anything specific about their policies to help the poor. (For some reason, BOTH republicans and democrats seem to think that the lowest rung on the economic ladder is the middle class.)

Jim Wallis, who has been at the forefront of social activism for decades, wrote an interesting book, On God's Side. Although it was published in 2013, Wallis was prophetic in noting that the religious right and the religious left both need to learn from each other. Here's an excerpt from On God's Side:

"A central purpose of this book is to challenge the hateful ideological warfare between the conservative and liberal sides in our ongoing political battles, as well as their inability to listen to or learn anything from each other. I believe the best idea of the conservative political philosophy is the call to personal responsibility: choices and decisions about individual moral behavior, personal relationships like marriage and parenting, work ethics, fiscal integrity, service, compassion, and security. And the best idea of the liberal philosophy is the call to social responsibility: the commitment to our neighbor, economic fairness, racial and gender equality, the just nature of society, needed social safety nets, public accountability for business, and the importance of cooperative international relationships. The common good comprises the best of both ideas—we need to be personally responsible and socially just. This is key to ending the hateful conflict and beginning to understand the other side’s contributions to the quality of our life together."

For extra credit, here's Jon Stewart's take on the recent election.

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