election anxiety

Good Morning,

There are two weeks remaining before the election. At the risk of sounding too political, I wanted to share a little of what I have been going through with the hope that is gives you some comfort that you are not alone, not "crazy" and not over reacting.

On a scale from 1-10, I would say my anxiety has been consistently at an 8. THIS IS HIGH! Those of us who suffer with this disorder know that our worst anxiety is usually from a place we have difficulty recognizing and that fact adds to the "what if" thinking and the fear that something is terribly wrong with us. However, even though the anxiety about the election is a known entity, what it shares with this is the fear of having no control. (the ultimate fear for people with anxiety disorders) We truly feel powerless and helpless. This is a very scary time for anxious people as we crave order and understanding and the feeling of being in "limbo" is overwhelming and frightening to us all.

Action and distraction are our best friends right now. THIS IS TIME LIMITED. We will have clarity in two weeks. We can manage that. Write letter, postcards, work a phone bank, volunteer, etc. Make your voice heard so you feel you have done your share and are busy. It is also ok to turn off all news, skip political articles and politely decline political conversations. Each of us know what path is most soothing for our own bodies. The only thing you HAVE to do is VOTE! I hope!

Put that trusty rubber band back on your wrist and snap when necessary. Make sure to get outside and walk or exercise, eat well, get rest, and try to pamper yourself the best you can. These awful times have made many of us doubt our faith in decency, morality, truth, science and love. We know who we are. We know that decency, truth, love, morality and kindness matter, as does science, and nothing can take that from us or make us change our core beliefs. You are not alone.

Take deep breaths -as my daughter tells her 2nd grade students, "smell the flowers... blow out the candles." DO IT OFTEN. Meditate if you can, read a juicy book, watch a silly show., color in a coloring book.....THIS TOO SHALL PASS

Reach out if you feel you need someone to talk to. Email me or Barbara. We are here for you always.

We will get through this together.

With so much love,

LIsa

lisakgins@icloud.com