Current Political Climate Making You Anxious? Tips to Weather the Storm

“We are only as strong as we are united, as weak as we are divided.” – J K Rowling

The heated temperature of our current political climate may leave some of us feeling rather unsettled. Here are some tips on how to weather this partisan storm:

Sense of Community

It’s important to remember that we are all living in the same country and that we must focus on coming together peacefully in support of our values and beliefs, but it’s also imperative that we are sensitive to differences of opinion.

Consider getting involved in your community by volunteering or taking other actions like making calls or sending emails to local and state political leaders to let them know how you feel. Also, to ease frustrations, perhaps keep intense political conversations between you and others who share your points of view.

Emphasize Understanding

The media and the internet have the ability to bring people together, but these vehicles can also be divisive and alienating. Spewing hateful words while hiding behind a computer does nothing to draw cultures and communities closer. Cultivating empathy and understanding for others is the only mechanism which will unite us as a country. Furthermore, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the barrage of political news coverage so it may be a good idea to switch the channel or resist the urge to repeatedly check your phone for political updates.  

Focusing on Hope

Intense emotional reactions toward questionable political strategies are understandable. However, we must also root ourselves in the hope that justice will guide us through to better times. Without hope, we are unable to build roadmaps to improve ourselves, our communities or our country. It’s also important to practice self-care like exercising and other ways to manage our stress to help us maintain our wellbeing and a more positive outlook.  

In essence, what is often birthed from adversity is our ability to unite with others who share our sense of purpose, and this leads us to feel stronger as individuals so that we can truly overcome any hardship together.

from World of Psychology https://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2017/02/13/current-political-climate-making-you-anxious-tips-to-weather-the-storm/