I’m sure you’ve heard from the candidates, politicians, and media how important the 2024 presidential election is. However, much of the commentary might be stressing you out even more, as we’re technically only three months away from voting, ultimately shaping what we’d like this country to look like whether you’re considering voting for Vice President Kamala Harris or former President Donald J. Trump, there’s pressure surrounding this election for Black women because we see ourselves reflected in the race, which is unprecedented, and comes with several burdens, one being how we’re portrayed in the media, as unsavory comments about Black womanhood, culture, and appearance has reared its ugly head.
Most Black women are wondering if greater America will ever accept us in the highest position of power despite our many qualifications. Others wonder how this election and its results will continue to affect our quality of life. To help you get through the last several months of election season, we decided to share several simple self-care tips from psychotherapist Meghan Watson to help you center yourself during stress. Check them out below.
Schedule offline breaks:
It’s normal to feel overwhelmed and run down. One powerful self-care tip is to schedule offline breaks. Occasionally, log off and disconnect from the election news cycle.
You may not be able to change the world, but you can change how much contact you have with the pieces that drain your mental and emotional energy without considering renewing those valuable resources. It’s great to be in the know; sometimes, taking a step back and getting offline is meaningful.
Similarly, edit your social media following list:
Unfollow accounts that feel stressful and overly anxiety-inducing or trigger unhealthy coping and panic. Keep yourself accountable to reading news sources that are more nourishing than they are anxiety-inducing and overstimulating.
Regulate (use coping tools) and reconnect (nurture community):
Regulating our mood and emotions (also commonly known as grounding ourselves) can be helpful when we are dealing with stressful and traumatic triggers and situations that we feel under-resourced for and unable to cope with. It’s important to note that regulation isn’t usually an effective long-term solution to overwhelming and trauma-related triggers and stressors. It is simply a set of tools to get present to our surroundings, reduce distress temporarily by focusing on things outside of the triggers and stressors in question, and ultimately offer us more room to decide what we may want to do next.
Some regulation tools to try:
- A body scan
- Guided mindfulness meditations
- The 5-4-3-2-1 exercise
- Place ice on our foreheads, chests, and hands.
Activities focused on grounding ourselves through intentional connection and emotional support can guide us through the experiences of trauma and stress in a safe community. When we cultivate community and get practice in asking for and giving meaningful emotional support, it’s easier to deal with the distress and challenges of feeling lonely, isolated, disconnected, ashamed, and overwhelmed.
Some reconnection examples to try:
- Asking loved ones for company.
- Reaching out to a friend for advice, feedback and support
- Long hugs, physical reconnection like hand holding, snuggling with pets.
- Group therapy/ support groups/ group exercise classes
- Talking to a therapist
- Journaling/ hobbies (reconnecting to self)
- Texting your friend/ community group chat.
Questions to ask yourself when reflecting on your media and news consumption:
How does my body feel when I open my social media and news apps as we approach the election?
Are there triggers or troubling thoughts and images that emerge? Who can you talk to about these feelings?
If social media and engaging with the news are part of your daily life (E.g., your job), what routines help you return to your center at the end of the day?