Things that this election week has taught me

This week has been an EXHAUSTING week for all of us, for both people in and out of the US. This has definitely been a week filled with fear and anxiety for many of us, especially for us POC in varying degrees. And though the media makes it sound like this election rollercoaster is over, this emotional turmoil seems like it’ll continue for a bit longer as recounts and lawsuits happen over the next month. So as a person with anxiety, here are some things that this election week has taught me:

1. It’s okay to choose to lighten your workload a bit this week to better take care of your mental health. But if you’re going to make that decision, make it early.

It’s okay to say, “I’m not okay” and take a step back from your responsibilities to feel better in control of yourself. It’s okay to not feel motivated. It’s okay to make up your mind and say that you’re going to enjoy an evening to yourself. But if you’re going to make that decision, try to make it early rather than lingering it on and feeling bad about being unproductive during that period. I had a hard time with this, since I always reserved my evenings and nights for my passion projects, and felt bad to push that aside to do nothing. But looking back, I believe I made a necessary decision to take a step back, but I wish I’d done it sooner.

2. These were a series of unprecedented events, and it’s okay if you weren’t mentally “strong” enough going into this, no one was.

If you’re struggling with mental health, this was not a healthy week. Not only did it drive our mental state like crazy, it also may have made you feel bad for not being stronger and have a better coping mechanism already set in place. But truth is, finding the right coping mechanism for this week before this election sounds highly unlikely. So don’t blame yourself, it’s okay that you weren’t ready for this week, and keep your chin up because you were strong enough to still get through it.

3. There. Is. Absolutely. NO. Reason. To. Lose. Sleep. On. Election. Night.

Wow I really hope I remember this one in four years. As it was very evident this year, results NEVER come out on election night. Every state counts at a different speed, some states have different voting cultures, etc. Surely there are people who enjoy listening to every commentary that news reporters make about what they think would happen. But wow if this week was already stressful enough going into it, then spare yourself because there was nothing unhealthier than listening to political opinions this week.

4. It’s okay if your routine went out the window this week, just make a plan when going back into it.

Getting our daily routines disrupted can be annoying, but devastating especially for those who have a specific routine set in place to keep their mental health on track. But remember, the routine that you have now is something that you’ve built over time. So don’t try to rush into all of it, of course that’s going to be overwhelming and too much to handle. Take a step back, take it one at a time. Maybe make your bed today. Maybe do your dishes tomorrow. Maybe fold your clothes the day after. One step at time, okay?

What did you learn from this election week? What did you like and what do you think you could have done better? Regardless, give yourself a pat on the back because hey, we made it!