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If you're like me, you've been a fiend for election news, obsessed
with polls and probably have a political bumper sticker on your car
or maybe a sign in your front yard. If you're a better person than
me, you've probably even signed up to campaign for your candidate.
I think, in some way, we've all been touched by the election
season. And if our candidate wins, it's like a really long wait for
Christmas and then a big celebration. If he loses, it's like Santa
skipped your house.
Here are even more worrisome things we should stop fretting over this very second.
The post-election blues are totally normal and quite expected, says Rebecca Roy, a Southern-California-based psychotherapist. And when your guy loses, here's how to deal (without having to move to Canada):
It's OK to be angry, but not for long. "Take
the time to acknowledge your anger or resentment," she says. "Then
let go of it. It will not help you in the long run and can actually
damage you emotionally and physically. If you simply cannot stomach
the idea that your candidate didn't win, ask yourself how you have
dealt successfully with other losses in your life. Whether it's
physical exercise, venting to friends or just finding a way to get
to a place of acceptance, do it as soon as you feel you can."
Reach "across the aisle." "The best way to let go
of anger when your candidate doesn't win is to reach across the
aisle," she says. "Nothing is solved by holding onto grudges, and
what is done is done. Find a way to help out in your community,
come together with others who have a different point of view and
give them a chance to air it. You may be surprised at what you
learn."
Choose to be at peace. "...It isn't the event that
defines who we are, but how we respond to it. You can make the
choice to be angry and resentful, or you can make a choice to be
positive and make a difference despite your personal feelings."
(Find
peace within yourself with these helpful tips.)
Are you worried about how you'll feel if your candidate loses? And if you were a Kerry supporter during the last election, how did you feel when he lost? No biggie or big-time bummer?
[photo credit: Getty Images]
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