What's up, Buddies?
Every four years I wish I could take a Hibernol and skip election season, but sadly, I cannot. It used to be more exciting than panic-inducing, but the memory of the day after the 2016 election still haunts me. My blood pressure is so insane right now I am surprised I haven't lifted off the ground and started floating into the ether.
Huge nerd that I am, I became enamored of the democratic and legislative process after spending time in DC as part of a youth leadership program. Later I returned for law school, lived on Capitol Hill and clerked for the ACLU. Over the years, the shiny facade wore off as change never seemed to come, and I came to see the empire for what it was. Now, with just as many questions as ever about where our country is headed, I remain jaded but cautiously optimistic, as I believe we cannot raise the next generation without hope in our hearts. I know that I personally certainly cannot.
If you've been following along on IG, you've caught my hot takes on the election season. If you haven't been, getcha ass over there (@budwell.shop). Anyway, here are my tips for getting through the final week of the election season.
Take it easy.
Sara
HBIC / Head Buddy in Charge - Budwell
1. Let That Shit Out.
What's your rage kink? Screaming/crying inside your car costs absolutely nothing, and is fairly therapeutic. No car? No problem. Grab a pillow or maybe ball up some pancakes or a fistful of marshmallows to muffle your screams and sobs from prying ears. If you want to preserve your vocal cords, may I suggest breaking glass or perhaps ceramic objects. It feels great! Set a small budget and hit the thrift shop. If you want to be tidy about it, put it in a paper grocery bag first, staple the ends, and smash away. Still very satisfying. Doing anything that makes you sweat feels wonderful, but if you're not in the habit of working out, don't do anything stupid and wind up hurting yourself. This is not the time to start throwing 20 lb kettlebells overhead. Then you'll be really crying because I'm pretty sure nobody's platform includes universal healthcare. Got a friend with musical gear? Ask if you can swing by and pound away on their drum kit. At the least, just blast some tunes really, really loud. There's almost nothing that music can't fix.2. Soothe Moves
To keep that anxiety level in check, take some steps to reduce your triggers. If this election doesn't go the way you want, then you will deal with that, but you don't have to skulk around in that energy right now. For example, I don't want to endure a steady drip of doom all day long, so I set aside certain times to check the news - lunch and before dinner. This way I'm staying informed without gorging myself on polling data and riding the rollercoaster of political speculation et al.Maintaining my sanity also means keeping in a steady dose of whatever is going to healthily boost your serotonin. For me, that means sneaking in a walk the second the sun peeks out. It's hard to feel terrible surrounded by crunchy leaves and autumn weather. In the dwindling hours, my consumption of Drag Race has gone through the roof lately. Plus, my nine year old knows all the words to Donna Summer's epic cover of MacArthur Park, if that gives you any idea of how gay the soundtrack has been around here lately.
3. Get Off Your Ass & Do Something
If you're familiar with our brand story, you know I am a woman of action. I have zero patience for keyboard warriors or hand wringers. I have seen a lot of people who are spending plenty of time making accusatory posts on social media and I wonder if those same people are exerting any energy in real life to make a difference in the causes they claim to care about. Doing something feels better than doing nothing. If you have the time to flip out, you have the time to make an impact. Write postcards, make calls, donate, sign petitions. Whatever cause is important to you, there is an organization out there that is doing work on the ground and could use actual assistance besides your excellent trolling and reposting skills.4. Spend Time With a Buddy
Many of us are doomscrolling and reading what's happening in an echo chamber and not spending time talking to other humans. The world was truly not ready for the internet, and a lot of problems could be helped if we spent more time talking to each other rather than about each other. Snap out of it! It always helps to get firsthand accounts from folks on the ground, rather than listening to hearsay. It was a lot easier to process election cycles when I was esconced in the blue dot of our nation's capital or the metropolitan backdrops of Cincinnati and Columbus. Things have changed now that I live further outside the city, in a place with great property values surrounded by good-hearted people with questionable politics. I am grateful to have a few friends as a lifeline in other similar areas where we can compare notes on what the temperature feels like where we live. If you're looking for some company and all else fails, here's a Buddy that will never let you down.5. VOTE
That's the number one cure for what ails, ya. I'm not taking any excuses for this one. If you've done it already, way to go. I find getting it out of the way early helps to alleviate the stress. Voting by mail or early in person has almost always been my method of choice. You've got a week. That's the assignment. We can't all up and move, so let's try to make this giant floating island a nicer place to live, shall we?Check your voter registration here.
Check your state's voter ID laws here.
