Anxiety about the election: let it motivate action

Election years often introduce anxiety, and the feeling seems amplified this year. Even newsletters that aren’t overtly about politics are focused on the political scene these days. Numerous therapist colleagues have shared that their clients are bringing up presidential election politics in their sessions. While some folks are feeling hope with the change in the prospective Democratic Party nominee, others are feeling more worried because a prior prospective nominee has never dropped out of the race this late or because the nomination of a woman who is both Black and Asian has led to attacks based in misogyny and white supremacy. In prior blogs, I’ve written about how to cope with political stress and how we sometimes avoid scary topics because they pique anxiety. Today, I want to write about how anxiety can be a motivator.

Some anxiety can be a motivator

Many of us have experienced the motivating effects of anxiety. When we were in school, anxiety motivated us to study for tests. If you’re an athlete, anxiety can encourage you to practice more or do more skills-based drills. If you’re anxious about public speaking, you may be more apt to practice any presentation you have to give. If you’ve procrastinated on a project, anxiety about not finishing on time can kick you into gear and allow you to get the work done. In these examples, some degree of anxiety can motivate us to take action, to practice, to do better.

However, we may also be familiar with not performing well on a test because we’re overly anxious and can’t remember what we’ve studied. The anxious athlete may not be able to focus or may internalize the stress in their bodies. The public speaker may become frozen or stumble over their words, and the procrastinator may start too late to produce a high quality product. Too much anxiety can impair our performance; it can cause us to shut down.

If your anxiety about the presidential election feels so overwhelming that you’re in a frozen-state, sit with that recognition. Feel it. Let yourself notice and become familiar with all the fears and worst-case scenarios that are going through your mind. Allow yourself to really be with this fear, like you would with any feeling that arises while practicing mindfulness. Let that anxiety overwhelm you. You’ve got a little over 100 days right now. Give yourself a good week if that’s what you need. And then remind yourself that the threat isn’t happening to you right now. The threat is happening later. Right now isn’t even election day or inauguration day.

Then, start looking for what evidence you have that any of your worst fears will come true. Keep in mind that polling has a margin of error. Remember that polls give us a single snapshot on a second day and can’t predict the future. Ask yourself: what evidence actually exists for something that’s going to happen in the future? Ask yourself: what can happen that may change the course of the election? Remind yourself that in about 8 days, there was an assassination attempt, a prospective nominee dropped out, a new candidate stepped in and raised more money than a candidate had previously on any single day. In short, a lot can change, and there’s little evidence that what your mind tells you could be the worst-case-scenario will come to fruition.

Once you’ve considered available evidence, focus on your values. What are they? (You may want to ask yourself: is this something you value–like equity, justice, flexibility, service–or is this something you believe?) Once you’ve identified your values, inquire how they relate to the election and what you want for the future? Then, how do you work toward these values? What do you need to do to move toward those values? What does action consistent with those values look like? 

Anxiety-fueled activism

Use your anxiety to empower yourself. When you thought about the worst-case scenarios your mind generated and considered evidence both in support of the possibility those could happen as well as that possibility they could not, remember: the future isn’t now. You can impact change; you can take action and get involved.

You may be telling yourself that nothing you can do can make a difference; you may be cynical about your ability to impact change. Remember, YOU ARE NOT ALONE! If you were alone, you’d be governing yourself. You wouldn’t have a family or friends or colleagues. Instead, you’re part of a community, including members you don’t even know. Maybe you think there’s not enough people to effectuate the change you want; again: what evidence do you have for that thought? I read an Instagram post earlier this week that said, in part, “If we want gardens, we must become the gardeners.” Similarly, if you want change, you need to become a changemaker. It’s all too easy to say change isn’t possible; if everyone says that, guess what’s not going to happen? Change. Since you aren’t alone, maybe you can gather your friends, gather your family, and all commit to an afternoon of political activism together.

What’s getting in the way of making change? Time? Money? Fortunately, both are needed! If you’re overly busy and don’t think you can sacrifice time, you may want to do a values analysis. How important is the outcome of this election to you; what is the level of anxiety you’re feeling telling you? What will each potential election outcome mean for your values? How else are you spending your time? Is everything else you’re doing consistent with your values? What values are most important right now (and for the next approximately 100 days)? 

It’s perfectly okay not to have time; however, if you’re prioritizing watching Netflix over canvassing door-to-door and making phone calls for candidates, be okay with whatever value you choose. You (and others in your community) will have to live with the outcome. (If you feel guilty reading this, that guilt may be information you wish to consider. I value rest and relaxation; however, those values aren’t my primary ones every day for the next hundred.) If you don’t have the time, consider whether you have the money. If so, donate some. In this political landscape, money is speech, and speech is activism. There are numerous ways to give and get involved. 

If the thought of canvassing door-to-door seems even more anxiety-provoking than the election itself, maybe you want to do some phone banking? Talking to strangers on the phone is just as anxiety-provoking as in-person canvassing–maybe you send postcards through an organization, or even just to everyone you know. Maybe you want to spend election day helping drive voters to their polling place in another state. Maybe you have skills that you could lend to a campaign to assist with something more in the background. A friend asked if they could just eat ice cream? Sure–incorporate some type of reward into your activism–you get ice cream when you’re sworn at while phone banking (it happens); maybe for every ten hours of action you do, you get to take yourself out for dinner. I’m oh-so-well aware that political action isn’t everyone’s jam. But if you’re feeling intense anxiety about this election, anticipating (and doing nothing to change) the outcome you don’t want isn’t your jam either. Let your anxiety motivate you because we don’t know the outcome yet.

If you’ve read this and need direction on where or how to get involved, feel free to email me. I have plenty of more specific ideas and/or can direct you to specific organizations that need volunteers. Or, if you want to work together in therapy on political-related stress, please reach out!