Having an Awful Day Post-Election? Here’s How to Practice Self-Care

Are you in crisis and need someone to talk to you right now? Crisis Text Line is a free, anonymous text based crisis hotline. Text HELLO to 741–741.

After a divisive, historic, and hotly contested election, emotions are running high across the country. If you (or someone you know) is feeling disappointed, fearful, confused, angry, or some combination of those, there are things you can do to cope with the election results and begin to move forward. Here are some ways to practice self-care and help others do the same.

Help Your Friends

1. Let them know it’s okay to be sad and confused.
2. Just listen if they need to talk…
3. …but if they don’t want to talk, don’t make them.
4. Don’t offer solutions to their problems. Sometimes people just want to be heard.
5. Be understanding. Sometimes people do and say things they don’t mean when they’re hurt. That doesn’t excuse them for their actions, but should help you understand where they’re coming from.
6. Don’t take on too much. If helping your friend becomes too much, take care of yourself first. You need to be able to help yourself before you help other people.

Help Yourself

1. Don’t run from it. If you’re sad, let yourself be sad.
2. People are there to help. Talk to someone about how you feel. Try not to isolate yourself.
3. Write about it. Take 20 minutes and just journal about how you feel.
4. Take a warm bath. It’ll help you relax and take your mind off of what’s happening.
5. Try one of these guided meditation exercises.
6. There’s no timeline on sadness. Take as long as you need to feel better.

Other Tips From Our Friends at Crisis Text Line

Things to do for yourself:

• Show kindness. Do a random, anonymous act of kindness for someone else today. Putting love out there in the world is an amazing way to help someone else — and you — feel happy.
• Volunteer. Frustrated about the national political landscape? Think local! Be part of a hands-on solution. DoSomething.org is a good place to start.
• Connect with people. Humans need other humans. If your parents voted for the other party, maybe avoid talking politics with your parents for a few days. Instead, spend time with people who feel your feels. Cook, exercise, binge on Netflix. Do activities with friends…beyond talking.
• Practice self-care. There are free evidence-based techniques that can help you feel calm and in control. For example, the 4–7–8 method, 5–4–3–2–1 technique and this breathing gif. Seek further resources. Visit CrisisTextLine.org.

Ways to support others:

• The best thing you can do: listen.
• Validate their feelings…and don’t try to solve the problem.
• Recognize their strengths. (“Wow, you are so brave.”)
• Asking questions is great, and so is just simply listening. Lots of head nodding. Lots of hugs. Just be there.
• Help them remember things that make them feel strong. Maybe it’s music, exercise, or writing. Show them strength and love. Together, we can get through this.