Are you stressed this election? If you are, you are not alone. Sometimes the stress seems overwhelming to me. I'm homeschooling my 12 year old, trying to prepare my 4 year old for kindergarten, trying to keep the house in some kind of order...I say "some kind" because looking around it seems there's not much order at all.... and trying to start thinking about the holidays coming. (What?! Holidays?! We're there already?!) And, on top of it all, we've got a major election happening.
Moms and Dads, in every political party, are worried what the future will look like for our families. We get bombarded and spammed with texts, emails, and phone calls about voting. And, voting is incredibly important. But, sometimes it all seems so much. How do we prepare to make such an important decision, while we are so incredibly stressed?
Here are some tips to help lessen, and ease, the amount of stress us parents are under:
First and Foremost: LET GO. Me, more than a lot of people, know how hard that can be. As a self-proclaimed Type A personality, I like to control the things around me. I love my lists. Disorganization can drive me bonkers (it does often, lol). And, I LOOooovve knowing what's going to happen next... No birthday surprise parties for me, thanks. Mostly, I love these things because they make me feel SAFE. And, when I don't know what's going to happen.. I feel unsafe. But, we can't always know what's going to happen. In fact, even as much as we like our security, the world would be quite boring if we knew everything already. So, we have to learn to bend.. to relax... to let go. Whatever happens this election, or any day for that matter, we will take it as it comes. We've done our part. We've voted. Whoever wins, wins. Now, LET GO. Have faith in yourself. You've got this.
Now, the next tip is to Stop Scrolling the News. This goes hand in hand with letting go. This doesn't mean you have to stop looking at the News entirely. But, you should look at it less. Remember, the News stations want us to keep looking. Headlines can be alarming, and they make it seem like nothing good is happening out there. By igniting our Fight or Flight modes, alarmists can keep us coming back. But, when you feel like going back to check the news for the second time today... go back to "tip one".
The third tip is to.. Get.. Your.. Butt.. Outside! Sometimes we get so caught up in getting "the next thing" done, that by the time we look up it's dark. Whether it's taking a walk during your lunch break at work, or putting the kids in the car and going to the park, being outside helps us to reset. I don't believe that we are meant to be inside all hours of the day. Even our circadian rhythms tell us when to wake and sleep by the light of the sun. That's how important being outside (or in the sun) is! And while you're outside, do this last tip....
Be Still. Do you know that you can "reset" your fight or flight by breathing slowly and deeply? It brings you back to balance. When we rush around, getting the next thing and the next thing done, our minds think that something important is happening. Why else would we be in such a hurry? Our ancestors hurried when they were running to catch something to eat, or running from something so they wouldn't be eaten. Think of the adrenaline that must have been pumping through them at the time... That's what our brains think we we rush around all stressed out. So, stop. Just for a couple of minutes, breathe deeply and be still. Doing this tells your brain, "I'm perfectly fine. No tigers are chasing me. I've got this handled."
I hope these tips help you through this election, and through all the other days. Being a parent is tough stuff. But, we are tougher. And, all those sweet little smiles, hugs and kisses make it all much more worthwhile...
These are all opinions from your publisher at Hendersonville Macaroni KID. I'm not a doctor, just a friend. If you're having serious problems with stress, make sure to let your doctor know. They'll know more about your individual needs than I would. And, they're trained for that. ;)
