This past week has been hard. Many of us feel disappointed. We feel lost, afraid, betrayed, and angry. In the wake of this election, many of us are confused and hurt. How did this happen? I’m not really sure, but it did. I cried on election night as I saw red sweep America. I didn’t want to get up on Nov. 9. The world seemed too dark, too cruel. Alas, the sun rises and we must move forward. However, many of us need to take a little time to recover, to regroup, before we will be able to come together and work towards creating a better tomorrow. During this time, we need to remember to do self-care.
1.Get up and go outside.
Get out of the house. Nothing is going to be accomplished by staying in bed all day. Also, fresh air is good for the soul. Walk around, enjoy nature. Do stop to smell the flowers. Do watch the sunset. Breathe and let the shock and despair out. Feel the wind and the grass. You are here and you matter.
2.Spend time with friends and family.
You don’t have to talk about the election, especially if you know someone has a different opinion about the results. Just spend some time with your loved ones. When we feel distress like this, for a while, all we can do is hold everybody a little tighter. And if it feels better to talk about the results and what you are feeling with a family member or a friend, then do it. Additionally, listen to what they have to say. You may hear something that helps.
3.Eat and hydrate.
Sometimes when we are in a state of shock we can forget to attend to our own basic needs. So eat something good and make sure that you are hydrating properly. We don’t need to be getting weaker right now. We need to come back stronger and with more determination than ever before. There is work to be done, and we must take care of our own health so that we can help.
4.Sleep.
Sleeping is important all the time, but I know that when we are super stressed and anxious falling asleep can be a big struggle. With so much to think about, how can anyone close their eyes? But try to get good rest. We don’t need to be wandering around exhausted from shock and sleepless nights. Try to set a solid sleep schedule and stick to it so your body gets used to it. That way you can be full of energy and life when you set out to change the world.
5.Get off social media for a few days.
Throughout the campaign season, social media was ablaze with all the latest on both candidates. Now it is simply prolonging our anxiety. We don’t need to be starting Facebook fights or Twitter wars right now. We need to take a break for just a little bit so that the anger will fade and become replaced with determination. Distance is sometimes needed.
While the results of the election were disappointing to many we must remember what Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said not so long ago, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
So take some time for yourself, then go change the world.
