Americans disappointed by this year’s election results may find themselves in 2016 redux. Facing another Donald Trump presidency, you might ask yourself: How do I cope? How do I steel myself for the next four years? During this time, Trump and his allies have promised to deport millions of people, fire civil servants and replace them with loyalists, and further restrict access to abortion. These policies are truly painful and can feel overwhelming to the millions of people who will be affected by them.
But this isn’t 2016. Having a clear-eyed plan for how you will handle what lies ahead is more protective than succumbing to despair. You can take the lessons learned to improve your coping skills and avoid psychological exhaustion to make it through the days ahead – and the next four years.
How to handle now
Don’t suppress your emotions, process them
In the immediate aftermath of the election results, you may be flooded with emotions ranging from frustration to anger. “You can’t suppress those emotions of fear and despair. You have to process them,” says Adrienne HeinzClinical Research Psychologist at Stanford University. “When you finally accept your feelings and reality, you can start focusing on what you can change.”
Processing emotions requires quiet time with your thoughts. In the moment it’s important to tune out distractions like social media and resist avoidant coping strategies like napping or doomscrolling and instead sit with your feelings — while meditating outside in nature or in your living room.
“Right now, we probably don’t have a very high pain tolerance — we’re maxed out,” Heinz said. “But just remember those emotions don’t last forever. They may feel like they’re going to eat you up and swallow you whole, but if you can walk through them and come out the other side, you’ll be mentally smarter.”
You may want to find a trusted friend or a mental health professional to help you work through some of your feelings, says Rhianna Ellis AndersonAssociate Professor, School of Social Work, Columbia University. However, if the conversation or shared information seems overwhelming, allow group chats with friends to be muted.
Stay in the moment
As hard as it may be, ground yourself in the present without worrying about what’s going to happen. Remind yourself that the tree on your lawn is still there, the bus is still following its route, says the licensed clinical social worker. Jenny Hill. The squirrel is still running around. “Life still goes on,” Hill said.
She recommends spending time with kids who usually have other concerns — more interested in the book fair they just went to or the karate lesson they just learned. It can bring you back to the present moment. Be sure to indulge in joy wherever you can — it’s what replenishes your energy reserves.
Avoid fatalistic thinking
While there is clarity about the country’s next president, there are still plenty of unknowns about what exactly will happen in the next four years. Uncertainty breeds anxietyAs research shows, it’s understandable to feel uncomfortable.
Daniel HunterIts founder Choose democracyAn organization that provides resources to help Americans prepare for an undemocratic power grab, said her experience in activism has taught her that the solution is not to bury your head in the sand or jump to worst-case scenarios. Try not to paint future narratives based on assumptions.
“Consciously engages with that uncertainty and that there are things we don’t know,” he says. “We can mourn the things we know, and we can mourn the things we don’t know, the things we’re not sure about. But that’s different than telling your own story.”
What to do in the weeks, months and years ahead
Restrain reactive emotions
Trump’s first administration was a near-daily explosion of chaotic headlines, Hunter said. “Trump will announce some new policy at 3 in the morning that has never been discussed before,” he said. “Then people will think we have to react and do something about it. It means we’re in a constant, or near-constant, state of Trump’s agenda setting.”
This time, try to be more measured and targeted with your responses, Hunter says. Use moments of anger to ask yourself what you feel motivated to do and what you want to achieve, “and keep moving forward on those things regardless of the political context,” he says. Hunter points out the effectiveness of the so-called Muslim ban protests, Which has angered the people On policies at airports across the country. “The disruption that happened at the airport,” he says, “was a major part of the material stress.”
Focus on what you can change
Likewise, instead of focusing your attention on things you don’t have the power to change, like making certain policies or appointing a cabinet, Heinz says focus on what you do have control over. Choose an issue that resonates with you and find ways to get involved locally. “It could be some organizing at the grassroots level to support new families who need childcare,” Heinz said. “It could go to a city council meeting to talk about housing.”
You can also consider areas where you don’t feel like you have complete control, Hill says. “Don’t you feel in control of your livelihood, your security, your safety, just being able to go out and not get attacked or hurt?” The question to ask then is, what can you control to make yourself feel safe in this moment? Maybe it’s spending more time with friends at your house. “Maybe I want to spend some time beautifying it and taking care of it,” Hill said.
Find – or strengthen – your community efforts
Social isolation can You feel tired And mentally exhaustedResearch proposal. Can be a lonely person Less trust in othersAnother study found. Surrounding yourself with people you love can bring comfort, says Heinz. The morning the race was called, Hunter texted a few friends to plan to get together and share condolences, cry, laugh.
Getting to know your neighbors and finding local groups of people who can help you build community are champions of the same causes. Anderson recommends activate Find events and volunteer opportunities near you. Think about what makes you feel like you’ve made a difference in the world. Is it a protest? Working with a mutual aid agency? Making dinner for your elderly neighbor? Ask yourself what issues in your city or town are most important to you and how you can make an impact there. “Getting people to meet each other is how we’re going to be able to show up for each other and get the job done more effectively,” Anderson says.
you have to live
Authoritarianism is fueled by fear, isolation and perceived helplessness, Heinz says. “This combination eventually leads to psychological exhaustion,” she says. But throwing yourself completely into resistance mode will eventually lead to burnout. On the other end of the spectrum, there will be moments when you want to curl up in bed and shut out the world, but that’s not a viable long-term strategy either.
To avoid complete emotional exhaustion, you need to set boundaries. “We need psychological boundaries,” Hunter says, “not on our phones all the time, places where we’re not talking about it.”
Take time to rest and recover, but don’t isolate. Set time limits on your news consumption, but don’t skip it entirely. Balance boring coverage with good news, stories of progress, and examples of people who have gone through tragedy and made it out the other side. Support the ones you love and stand together with your community to protect others.
“How we live [is] Not really a question intrinsically tied to a political outcome,” Hill said. “Of course, there are real-life implications globally and personally, but the philosophical question of how you live your life is not something that can be dictated by other people.”
