Whew! Last week was a beast, right? All the presidential campaign and election process left me weary. And I’m not the only one.
Whether your candidate won or lost, it seems America is feeling a bit beat down. As I’m processing these stressful times, I figured I might share insights I’ve found to be personally helpful.
These ideas are also useful in recovering from other types of disappointments and generally managing stressful situations.
Decompress
- Share your concerns/feelings with someone you trust
- Do something you enjoy – something FOR yourself
- Take care of your physical needs – exercise, rest/sleep, eat well, reduce caffeine
- Free up time – create space for self-reflection – take a break from the media
- Turn off the noise – embrace the silence and just BE; a meditative state does wonders
Gain Perspective
- Reflect on what happened and what you learned from the situation
- Identify what GOOD has come out of a bad/difficult situation … there is always something
- Share your ideas with others who may have an opposing view and remain open to their reaction
- Check your biases – are you using mental shortcuts and stereotypes to draw conclusions?
Focus on a Path Forward
- Break down the situation and focus on the value or purpose of what you want to accomplish going forward
- Be kind – don’t turn disagreements into personal attacks
- Put ideas into action – you can’t complain about what happens next if you sit back and leave it to others to “fix”
I’d love to hear how you’ve managed through disappointing situations! Please connect with the hashtag #serenitynow and get the Twittersphere buzzing!
Martha Duesterhoft is a Partner with PeopleResults. Follow her on Twitter @mduesterhoft or connect via email at mduesterhoft@people-results.com.
