Well, it happened. After almost two years, the election is finally over, but no one is really satisfied. After what is probably the most divisive and frustrating election of our time, many Americans are feeling pain. Protests have erupted across the country. Many have been staring at the news for days wondering what happened to their country. People of all political ideologies are feeling lost. If the election has you down, here are some of the best ways to deal with the post-election stress we're all feeling.
1. Turn CNN off
Seriously, just do it. The election results are in. They’re not going to change if you turn off the news for ten minutes. Get off Facebook, shut the laptop, and turn off the TV. You’ll be glad you did.
2. Breathe
Take a deep breath. If you want, you can try some mindfulness meditation techniques. Just take a moment to focus on your breath and chill out. Youtube is chock full of videos like this one that are meant to relax you and help you focus.
3. Get chilly
Speaking of chilling out, one of the best ways to relax is to cool your body down. If you’re really anxious, try placing an ice pack on the top half of your face. The cold shock triggers an evolutionary reflex to slow everything down and halt stress hormones. It’s weird, but it works.
4. Do something weird
Stand on one foot. Climb a tree. Walk around the block backwards. One of the best ways to relieve stress is to change your routine and do something that makes you feel silly. If you’re laughing at yourself, you’re likely to feel better about the last two years of insanity.
5. Pet a furry animal
Puppies, kitties, bunnies, or anything in between. If you want to relax, petting a cuddly animal is the best way. Go to a shelter if you don’t own any. If you’re allergic, pop a Claritin. Snuggle up with your furkid and take a break from politics.
6. Take a nap
If all else fails, take a nap. You won’t be able to sleep through the next four years, but maybe you can sleep until this ridiculous election is a memory.
7. Do something good
Is there any better feeling than knowing that you’ve helped someone feel better? Everyone is on edge right now. Everyone is stressed and looking to what’s next. Leave your neighbors some cookies. Buy lunch for a cop. Pay for the car behind you in the drive-thru. Do something little to make someone smile. It might make you smile, too.
8. Hug it out
Hugging is one of the best relaxation techniques out there. It releases endorphins and is frankly just a nice feeling. So democrats, hug a republican. Republicans, hug a democrat. Independents, hug everybody. We all need some good vibes about now. At the end of the day, we’re all Americans. Regardless of how you feel about our President-elect, we will all have the same government for the next four years. Hug out of excitement or hug out of fear, but show your neighbors that you care about them and their feelings are valid, whatever they may be.
