If you are someone who gets slightly--or severely--overwhelmed when thinking about our future... "ruler," you are not alone. It's easy to let yourself get dragged down into a depressive cyclone whenever the name "Trump" enters the conversation and thus we must come up with coping mechanism. If we don't learn how to deal with The Donald, these are going to be a very long and unhappy 4 years.
1. Take a Step Back.
Don't force yourself to be in a toxic environment. If a conversation is bothering you, excuse yourself. Say you are sorry but "you need some air." Go to the bathroom, go anywhere, but don't think for a moment that you have to "talk politics" because that's what everyone is doing. Sometimes, we just are not in the right mindset to handle it.
2. Go For a Walk or a Run.
Nothing takes your mind off of something like good old fashion exercise. Get outside. Breathe. Force yourself to exert energy in a way that does not involve stressing over the things you cannot change.
3. Grab a Friend.
Being with someone you know and trust can be very comforting when your thoughts feel bleak. Chances are your friend feels the same way about our political situation that you do. Maybe you need to talk about how worried you are, or more likely you need to talk about something--anything--else, to get you in better spirits.
4. Girls (or Boys) Night!
There is no better excuse for a girls/boys night than political turbulence!.. Just kidding... but having something fun to plan and look forward to is definitely a way to get your mind off things. Sometimes we forget to have fun when we are worried about worrying.
5. Do Something About It.
If you are truly worried about what our future has in store for us, do something about it. Join an organization, become active in the community, encourage greater political activism among the people you know. It's not enough to just try to ignore what we have let happen. If the thought of Donald Trump in the oval office makes you want to move to Canada, then don't let his 4 years turn into 8.
