Are You Fighting Off Election Fatigue?

Tuesday was election day here in the United States and, at the time of this writing, the race is still undecided (to be expected given the pandemic and the high numbers of ballots still to be counted given early and mail-in voting). Emotions are running high and the temptation to constantly refresh my news feed is real.

I blocked off my calendar this week to meetings and calls knowing, regardless of how things played out, that my energy and spirit would be tired and tender. (I know my fellow empaths get it). While I had a different letter ready to send you this week, I felt compelled to share what’s on my heart. If I can use some gentle reminders right now, I bet you can, too.

It’s hard when things feel out of your hands; when you feel out of control. That’s likely when you spend lots of time trying to understand your feelings by reading news reports or spending hours on social media.

Maybe, just maybe, if you can find others who are having the same experience you can feel justified in your emotions.

And that’s where the hiccup happens — try as you might, you can’t think your feelings.

Read that again: You can’t think your feelings.

Feelings are not to be figured out or fixed. They’re to be felt. Even the shitty ones. (I’m writing this for me as much as you!)

Instead of running from your feelings, stop.

Get quiet.

Close your eyes.

Take three deep breaths.

Just doing that lets your sweet soul know you’re here for her. While hard to believe, allowing your feelings to be present and run their course gets you on the other side of them faster.

When you numb out or attempt to analyze your emotions, it’s as if you’re telling that part of you to shush; that you don’t want to hear what she has to say. So then she gets louder in hopes of getting your attention.

There is so much mental, spiritual, and energetic clutter in the world right now. Denying your experience only adds to it.

Instead, have a good cry, rant in your journal, or take a big, fat nap. These are great ways to tend to and clear emotional clutter.

And by doing so, you’ll learn to trust yourself more. When that happens, fear is less apt to get in your way.

2020 has been a year and while it can’t end fast enough, I know all of this pain will eventually result in something good.

It has already motivated people to become more informed than ever before.

It has sparked difficult but necessary conversations.

It has revealed the deep-seated pain that so many operate from whether that pain comes out as activism or hatred.

But that reflection is for another day. For today and the rest of the week, focus on being gentle with yourself.

Take much more space that you think you need.

Stay away from the news and social media.

And breathe deeply and intentionally.

That’s precisely what I intend to do.