As I started thinking about what to write about last week’s election results, I wondered if it would even be worth it to express my opinion. I wondered how many Facebook moms will judge my words, how many friends will talk about how I’m wrong, and how this may seem like beating a dead horse at this point. But then I thought, when we have reached an outcome of a very a historical election, there isn’t much fault in documenting your opinion.

To say this election was stressful and groundbreaking is an understatement. I have never seen an election surface such great division in our country, creating a strong sense of hatred from one side to the other. To me, that is the most unsettling aspect of it all: how easy it was to get the people of our country to be against one another. Does it pain me to have Donald Trump as our president? Absolutely. But I will never stand back and choose to hate everyone who approves. It is our job now to come together and work with this President to fight for what we want to see happen in our country. How do you expect to see change if you’re sitting back refusing to work with the hands we have been dealt? Nothing gets better with no action.

Did this election have the winner I or millions wanted? No. Am I concerned that the people of our country elected such an awful human to be our president? Yes. But that’s just it, he was elected. That is what the majority of our country saw to be fitting for office. Don’t get me wrong, the amount of concern I have with Donald Trump having the term “President” in front of his name is immense and unavoidable, but there is no escaping his position. This is what the people of our country have decided. This was not an appointing of a dictator or the assignment of a leader, this was a full forced democracy that led to this man being our President.

I have no doubt that our country is capable of dealing with this outcome. I have no fear that we will fall not apart. We tend to be stronger than we think, more adaptable than we expected. The bottom line is that there is nothing that can be done now. This is our President. We will have four years of saying “President Trump.” We cannot avoid this, but that does not mean we must break and be defeated. Accept what has happened, but don’t fall behind on what you stood for before November 8. Keep your opinions loud and let what you stand for dictate how you approach the next four years. Adapt to the results and learn to voice your views in a constructive and proactive way. Progress towards change in ways that help to alter legislation or collectively form or work with organizations dedicated to the causes you believe in.

I don’t claim to know everything. I don’t claim that my opinion is the only right one. Neither can you. All any of us can do is form our own views and fight for what we feel is right. Nobody else can tell you how to think or what to believe and nobody has the right to devalue your opinion. Never let anybody make you feel like you don’t have the right to speak your mind. That very value is what built our country. So some voices are negative and harmful? Make yours louder. Generate positivity and people will soon follow.

Who you are is not dependent on who you voted for. Nobody deserves to be physically or verbally attacked based on what they believe. Agree to disagree with those opposing your views, no matter how wrong they might be. That is the most beautiful part of our democracy, the right to believe and speak on what you choose. What needs to be done starts with redirecting how people view the world, diversity, and growth. Donald Trump didn’t become president by some series of unfortunate events, he was supported by millions of people. If you feel that this support stems from hate, stop preaching your disgust in a Facebook status and go out and spread positivity and love. Attacking his supporters and his voters doesn’t make you a better person, it makes you part of the problem.

There is no blanket statement of a republican or a democrat, each person is different. One cannot make assumptions about a person’s personality and values based on what party they check on their registration form. Respect each other’s opinions and learn to find a balance between the two that will help us all move forward in a positive way. To throw in the towel and give up on the country we’ve been fighting for this entire election just because your preference did not win makes no sense. Regardless of what side we were fighting on, we were all fighting for something. We were fighting for what we believe will be a better America. Keep that spirit of fighting for change and put it behind policies and movements that will change this nation for the better. Join together to find solace in the strength of a country united.

I have hope that we can regain our strength in the most gracious way as a united front. I hope that we can find common ground in supporting the great things about our country and collectively work on improving the bad. Regardless of what side you stood on a week ago, what is important is to come together right now. The only way we will make it through the next four years with this man as our President is if we unite as a nation and truly work towards a change for the better. For people like me, struck with concern over his presidency, I am hoping for us all that he will prove us very wrong. We cannot change who the President is, but we do have the power to fight for what we value as a nation and bring out the best in us all, including Donald himself. We do have the power the carry ourselves in a way the showcases our morals and work towards a better tomorrow for everyone who is struggling to find comfort in today.