I'm all in my feels this week. Anxious. Excited. Frustrated. Outraged. Hopeful. Livid. Obsessive. Glued. Unglued.

I bet you're feeling this, too... especially if you are in the US.

I went for a run 🏃‍♀️ this morning to clear my head and a few non-obvious ideas came to me of how I could not only help others, but also for myself.

I put together an unlikely guide for this week and for the upcoming weeks ahead.

1. Don't pay ANY mind to the polls or comments right now. As tempting as it is to speculate and get some Nostradamus insight or engage when being attacked (or want to attack with anything less than helpful), there are TONS of bots auto-responding to posts with opposing campaign rhetoric. It is designed to spark outrage. We've hit our outrage quota about 8 years ago, doncha think? WALK AWAY! #notrolls #dontbeatroll

2. We are more united than you think. Both sides have experienced devastating disappointment over the past 8 years. We have been able to pick up the pieces and band together to fight. Not trying to be Pollyanna because this election has been a Terrifier 3-level house of horrors. I am encouraged by the common ground we've been able to find to support each other. Granted, it's still divided AF but the sun will rise again, as it always does. It has to! Right? Right???

3. Stress is gon' stress. Let the stress just be stressful. Even when we are meditating and doing our yoga and eating right and exercising, don't beat yourself up if you're still stressed. Just let it be. It IS stressful. This election is profoundly consequential and existential. We will find our footing but don't beat yourself up for feeling bad. For more, check this.

4. If you've already voted, offer to drive someone to the polls on Tuesday so they can exercise their right to vote. Post on Nextdoor or in a neighborhood group or drive a loved one. If you haven't voted, GO VOTE!!!! This is not one to sit out!

5. Feed your cognitive bias this week. We can wrap ourselves in a pretzel of anxiety considering the apocalyptic outcomes of this election and life as we know it. ☠️ it's really a coin toss (although I have strong suspicions it's not going to be as close as the polls/news says). Give yourself permission to focus on sources you trust. Just be mindful that anything reported right now is designed to spark your fears and you are being fed the same outrage over and over again - while the other side has completely and totally different info. So don't take the bait. Take it all with a grain of salt. The truth will come out in the end.

It feels really counter-intuitive to say this but a healthy amount of disassociation can help you get through this week. As long as you are tuned in to the right frequencies and outlets (literally and figuratively).

Personally, it's no secret that I am FOR Kamala Harris - I don't think it's a lesser-of-two-evils. I think she's beyond qualified, articulate, she's a desperately-needed unifier, and I believe wholeheartedly that a woman has a right to choose the right healthcare for her own body. I could go on and on...💙 💙 💙

Having said that, I will never post anything hateful on social media or in my blog/podcast re: politics. There are plenty of accounts that do a great job of that. That's not my lane.

If I am going to engage, it's in SUPPORT of the future and applauding efforts that are in alignment with the values I hold dear and focus on the kind of world I want to leave for my kids to inherit.

I invite you to stay true to your values. Be kind to others, even if they don't agree. We will make it through - and we only win when we can find common ground.

And take care of yourself this week. Do the things that feel good and are healthy for you - even through the stress. If you want a list of ideas to feel good, grab this.

xo 💖 ,
Allison

PS. Found this helpful? Can you share this in your circles here?

PPS. This was so funny, joyful, and poignant.