4 Mindfulness Practices to Ease Election Anxiety

How Election Stress Affects Your Daily Life

Amid everything else happening this year, a presidential election is a lot to navigate. A survey done this month by the American Psychological Association found that about 70% of respondents consider the election to be a significant source of stress. In addition, the majority of respondents – 77% – are worried about the country’s future.

With emotions and opinions running high this week, it can seem impossible to stay focused and centered. Here are four easy mindfulness practices to help you cope during this important time in American history.

1. Disconnect and Focus On Something Else

It’s easy to get caught up in all of the election-related content and headlines that will be in the news and social media, but it can also become overwhelming if you don’t take time to disconnect. Rather than scrolling endlessly through social media and staying glued to the news, stay updated in moderation by choosing a few trusted news sources to check. It can also be helpful to give yourself a time limit on social media to make sure you don’t become too involved.

If bringing your focus elsewhere is a challenge for you, a mindfulness practice can help bring more awareness to your feelings and any tension you may be holding in the body. Strengthening your mind-body connection is a strategy that can help you stay grounded during times of uncertainty and change.

2. Stay Present

During election time, it’s common to either long for the past or worry about the future, and dwelling too much on either can make it difficult to live in and appreciate the present moment. Simply “living in the moment” is easier said than done when the country is going through so much, but this is another area where a daily mindfulness practice can be helpful.

In a mindfulness meditation, as you bring your awareness from the outside world to your inner experience, you can also practice letting go of whatever else is happening around you. This helps you become more aware of what you need and what’s most important right now.  It can also help bring a sense of calm and gratitude for this moment.

Check out our on-demand program The Past Isn’t the Present for more tips on staying present.

3. Approach Different Perspectives with Kindness

One of the most stressful parts of an election can be all of the different opinions and beliefs that people have around the candidates and issues. Emotions can run high while talking about politics, but it’s possible to talk to people with different opinions without becoming reactive.

Practicing a loving kindness meditation can help you approach political conversations with an open mind. Finding three things that you have in common with the person you’re talking to can also help you build compassion for others.

Learn to embrace and accept diverse perspectives with our 7 Days of Embracing Diversity on-demand series.

4. Participate in a Guided Meditation

Whether you have 10 minutes or 45 minutes for yourself each day, fitting in a guided mindfulness meditation is a good way to make sure you disconnect from the barrage of political news and opinions. Taking advantage of guided mindfulness meditation can also give you something relaxing to look forward to each day, no matter what else may be happening around you.

Whether you’re feeling generally anxious or want to develop mindfulness skills such as focus awareness, gratitude, or patience, participating in live or on-demand mindfulness sessions can be beneficial for building compassion and open-mindedness, and for helping you stay and live in the present moment during election week and beyond.

Fit more mindfulness into your daily life in just 14 minutes a day with our Mindful Daily sessions.

Written by Becky Greiner