Feeling Election Anxiety? This Practice Can Help!
Anxious about the election? The following practices will help you re-center & regulate your nervous system over the days leading up to (and after) the U.S. general election.
Can you set aside just 10 minutes today? That's the time it takes to soothe your nervous system and notice the sensations, feelings, and moods of your body.
And that's exactly the medicine needed in this moment to ease a distinct form of anxiety psychologists and researchers are now studying - "election anxiety."
Left unchecked, this type of anxiety depletes our well-being and genius on the job. Here’s how it is adversely impacting us, and our workplaces:
73% of U.S. adults say they are anxious about the election according to the results of the 2024 American Psychiatric Association's annual mental health poll.
65% of employees surveyed over the summer by the Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM) said they have experienced or witnessed incivility on the job in the past month.
34% of employees surveyed by SHRM believe that the November 5th elections will trigger additional incivility in the workplace.
Election anxiety is very real, and left unchecked, it can undermine your ability to build spaces of safety, trust, and belonging at work.
It's for this reason that I created a short mindfulness practice as a gift for you. Treat yourself to this healing practice, and then share it with a friend who can benefit.
You are welcomed to listen to this mindfulness practice as often as needed to ease election anxieties over the next few days leading up to November 5.
The additional practices below are also available to help you center and regulate your nervous system during this season:
Attend our Politics of Belonging weekly practice, Thursdays @ 8 am PT.
Embrace sonder to separate people from their viewpoints.
Set boundaries to limit engaging in political discussions.
Practice somatics to build resiliency and resourcing.
Join a community to receive the support you need to keep going.
Save the date for December 5 to debrief the election results in community.
All of these practices are designed to soothe political anxieties that are running high this season given the uncertainty about what’s on the 2025 horizon.
Please begin your healing journey by listening to this short mindfulness practice. After you do, you’ll recognize:
Belonging Lives in the Body. Feelings of belonging live in our nervous system, and somatics practices can help cultivate a sense of belonging.
Safety & Trust are Foundational. Feeling safety & trust are the foundation for belonging. During this practice, you’ll explore where they are present in your life.
Belonging is a Practice. Practices like this one will help rewire your brain to notice where belonging does and does not exist in your everyday life.
This gift is designed to support people like you - visionary leaders, and those on their way to joining us.
Savor it, and if you’re looking for more ways to engage in practices like these, be sure to explore my company’s Coaching Belonging for Visionaries, a 6-month 1:1 coaching program designed to help you align your behaviors with your leadership vision.
Thanks for growing the #BelongingMovement!