<p>A personal program for working with election-induced anxiety.</p> <p><br /></p> <p>We're dropping a special/experimental pod today, because we know a lot of you are freaking out about the election — so Dan's going to talk through some strategies he is personally using to keep it together during this turbulent time. </p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Additional Resources: </strong></p> <p><br /></p> <p><a href="https://happierapp.com/podcast/tph/podcast-episode/bill-doherty-301" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Podcast episode with Bill Doherty (Braver Angels)</a></p> <p><br /></p> <p><a href="https://happierapp.com/contact" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Feedback form: let us know what you think!</a></p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Sign up for Dan's weekly newsletter</strong> <a href="https://bit.ly/3QtGRqJ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>here</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Follow Dan on social:</strong> <a href="https://bit.ly/3tGigG5" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Instagram</strong></a><strong>,</strong> <a href="https://bit.ly/3FOA84J" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>TikTok</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Ten Percent Happier online</strong> <a href="https://bit.ly/46TZglY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>bookstore</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Subscribe to our</strong> <a href="https://bit.ly/3FybRzD" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>YouTube Channel</strong></a></p> <p><strong>Our favorite playlists on:</strong> <a href="https://spoti.fi/3Qa8kMT" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Anxiety</strong></a><strong>,</strong> <a href="https://spoti.fi/3MjtMxF" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Sleep</strong></a><strong>,</strong> <a href="https://spoti.fi/3QvyA5J" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Relationships</strong></a><strong>,</strong> <a href="https://spoti.fi/3QxZASc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><strong>Most Popular Episodes</strong></a></p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Full Shownotes:</strong> <a href="https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/judd-apatow" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.tenpercent.com/tph/podcast-episode/dan-harris-election</a></p> <p><br /></p> <p><strong>Additional Resources:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Download the Ten Percent Happier app today: <a href="https://10percenthappier.app.link/install" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://10percenthappier.app.link/install</a></li> </ul> <p><br /></p>
Actionable Insights
1. Practice Mindfulness Meditation
Find a comfortable position, bring your full attention to your breath (or other sensations), and notice when your mind wanders, then gently return to the breath. This helps you get familiar with your mind, respond wisely, and reduce anxiety.
2. Limit News Consumption
Actively reduce your news and social media consumption to avoid being overwhelmed. Use self-awareness, fostered by mindfulness, to notice when you’ve gone too far and it’s time to disengage.
3. Diversify News Sources
Consume news from various ideological perspectives (left, right, center) and follow people you disagree with. This can calm anxiety by fostering understanding and open-mindedness, rather than blind hatred or epistemic closure.
4. Practice Loving Kindness
Silently send phrases like ‘May you be happy, safe, healthy, live with ease’ to an easy person to love, then yourself, a mentor, a neutral person, a difficult person, and finally all beings. This builds warmth and compassion, helping you engage with differing views.
5. Don’t Change Minds
When conversing with others, especially those you disagree with, do not try to change their mind. This prevents them from feeling attacked and encourages openness, aiming for ‘accurate disagreement’ instead of conviction.
6. Use ‘I’ Statements
When discussing issues, speak from your own experience using ‘I’ statements (e.g., ‘I’m worried that…’) rather than making grand ’truth statements’ or characterizing others. This makes your message more palatable and effective.
7. Characterize Your Own Opinion
Avoid characterizing the other person’s or side’s opinion; instead, stick to describing your own views. This prevents alienating the other person and keeps the conversation constructive.
8. Take Local Action
Combat feelings of helplessness and absorb anxiety by taking local action, such as volunteering for a political campaign, at an animal shelter, or helping family/friends. This provides a sense of purpose and stiffens your spine.
9. Tune Into Caring
When experiencing anger or fear, use mindfulness to identify the underlying emotion, which is often caring. Let this caring motivate your actions, as it’s a ‘cleaner burning fuel’ than fear or anger.
10. Embrace Tatra Maja Tata
Use the phrase ‘Tatra Maja Tata’ (meaning ‘right there in the middle of it’) as an incantation to remind yourself that even amidst chaos, you have the capacity to find calm and not be constantly overwhelmed.
11. Never Worry Alone
Actively reach out to friends to discuss your worries and get their perspectives, as strong relationships are the most important variable for a long, healthy, and happy life, and a buffer against stress.
12. Practice Self-Compassion
When you inevitably fall short or forget advice, treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you would a good friend or child, rather than self-criticism. This increases effectiveness, habit formation, and resilience.
13. Ask ‘What Do I Need?’
Regularly ask yourself, ‘What do I need right now?’ to guide your decisions and actions, especially during stressful times. This serves as a ‘North Star’ for self-care and effective behavior.