My thoughts about the election, and its immediate aftermath, can be found on my Facebook page. Needless to say, I am gutted, and tired of talking about it, at least for now. What I want to discuss here are some things my friends and I have done to help bring positivity back into our lives again.
1. Step Back.
I know it can be tempting to check your feed every second, wanting constant updates and everyone's opinions on this moment in history. But the echo chamber aspect of social media will get to you, and it will draw you deeper into a hole where you feel like nothing else matters. The issues at hand are indeed very important ones, and this feels like a dire time for our country (and the world), but we need you. We need you at your best for the fights to come, so step away from the screen - or at least watch something that always makes you laugh. It doesn't mean you care any less. You are taking care of yourself.
2. Make Something.
Bread, tea, cookies, something warm. Immerse yourself in the sensation of creating something good: the feeling of the dough between your fingers, the smell of the oven as it heats up, the steam from the kettle warming the palm of your hand. I recommend Yogi Tea - each bag comes with words of wisdom. You are allowed to eat what you make. It's not over-indulgent stress-eating. All food is good food. Just be sure to save some for later.
3. Go Outside.
Yeah, it's cold. But at least from where I am, it's beautiful. The leaves are falling like rain, and you can cradle your loaf of bread or mug of tea between gloved hands. Nothing can ever touch this moment. It is yours. You were here.
4. Make a List.
I make lists all the time, to make sure I never forget anything. I don't trust my own memory, but now I am asking you to trust yours. Go through your own memories, and make a mental list of everything that makes you happy. Little pumpkins, the smell of coffee, cold metal on my skin as I look through a massive telescope, a sky full of stars, music that builds, the sound of popcorn, old books hidden in odd places, the muffled sound of snow, cat's paws, peeling-paint fences, cobblestone roads, Yankee candles, an impractical number of houseplants. Nothing can ever touch these memories. They are yours, and they are the good in the world.
5. Remember that You are Loved.
If you think I don't know how corny this sounds you must have never met me in person, but take my word for it: call someone you love, meet with a friend for homework, sing to yourself, pray to your god, or to nothing at all.
Mental health is more important than many people think - you are not weak or selfish for taking some time to process and cope with events in your own time, your own way. One of the positive things I've learned over this past week is just how strong we can be when we are united. But it's easier to dedicate yourself fully to a cause when you are at peace with yourself.
We need to heal as a nation in order to move forward, but we must first heal on the individual level.
