It is ten days until the United States presidential election. Our household is working on our Election Mental/Physical Wellness Plans/Ideas. Our title needs work, but we have a whiteboard and everything. Here are our plans/ideas so far:
• Prepare some supplies in case there is a short time afterward in which it is uncomfortable in one way or another to go out to the store; fill up the cars with gas. We did this in 2016 and 2020 and it did not turn out to have been necessary either time in our particular area, but our feeling is that things are ramping up, and also it can make us feel better to Take Preparatory Action, even if it turns out to be Unnecessary. And the Unnecessary Acquisition of toilet paper and paper towels and ground beef and gasoline is not something we will regret, because we will use those supplies regardless.
• Include plenty of Comfort Foods. Those will not go amiss either, regardless. Ice cream; deli meat and nice soft squeezy deli rolls; saltines and applesauce and soup and ginger ale; ingredients for baked macaroni and cheese; ingredients for tacos; frozen lasagna; ingredients for cookies/cake/brownies; frankly: booze. We won’t be sorry to have them on hand, regardless.
• Maybe we should plan to get pizza for dinner on Election Night. Then maybe have brownie ice cream sundaes. Medically.
• Replace our broken exercise bike; we’ve ordered this one, which is the recumbent (? it doesn’t look particularly recumbent) version of the one we were happy with except for the resistance. It was out of stock forever, then flitted briefly into stock and I pounced, and now it seems to be out of stock again; did they have one single bike and I bought it? [Edited to add: after a month, Amazon canceled the order without explanation. So now we’re back at the beginning, and I’ve lost a month of using a bike.]
• Before we had houseguests recently, we all cleaned as a family for 30 minutes each evening. It was surprisingly effective, and also motivating and morale-boosting. Maybe we should do that again before the election, maybe just for three nights or so—not only to get things all set in case we don’t feel like cleaning for awhile, but also to burn off some extra anxious energy.
• Get caught up on laundry, bills, etc. Maybe address the Christmas cards early. Things like that. Use that nervous energy to get things done in advance, regardless.
• Brace for the idea that the election results might not be known right away, or even by morning.
• On Election Night, pick some familiar comforting lightweight half-hour-ish show to watch (Futurama, The Simpsons, Schitt’s Creek, Parks & Rec, etc.); then check in with election news on TV and/or Bluesky for, say, 5-10 minutes after each episode, using an actual timer; then another episode of the lightweight show; then another 5-10 minute timer-regulated check-in. Most of the election news is going to be newscasters filling time with improv speculation/filler based on 1% of precincts reporting, so don’t obsess/linger; find something else to do. Don’t think of Election Night as The Night We Find Out / The Night the Tension Ends—because, regardless, it’s not going to be the night the tension ends.
• I have ordered a line-a-day five-year journal. I’ve had it in my online cart for literally years, and this was my moment. I keep thinking of good milestones for starting such a thing (age 40! 2016! 2020! age 50!), and then not starting it. Now there will be one in my house already if I feel like starting it. Regardless.
• Go to bed early with a sleeping pill.
Good plans! Ours is: avoid anything about the election night of. That’s it. 😂 We haven’t gotten so far as to plan what to do instead.
Yeah. I’ve only literally just started mulling that idea, and one thing I’ve learned is there don’t seem to be any public events (concerts, plays) locally I could go to that night (I guess that shouldn’t surprise me, I do realize “a night on the town” isn’t usually seen as a key election night thing).
Maybe a movie? In a movie theatre?
Wondering whether others are considering this kind of plan (do something else) and if so, what ideas they have.
Do you yet follow @sharonsaysso on Instagram? Her content is wonderful and often very calming. She will be tracking election night. She also says it’s expected to take at least days to get full election results as the polls are so close.
How many people will be in your home on Election night? Just you and Paul and Henry? I know the twins are at college and Rob has launched, but I’ve lost track of William.
William is at home for the time being, so we will be four.
More baby name posts! I’ve been wondering if birth rates will increase post election due to a desire for stability, sense of continuity in the face of uncertainty, a desire for hope in the future, and the needed stress relief of intimacy.
This is interesting to think about. I would honestly predict the opposite-birth rates dropping due to a sense of insecurity/ instability, the way birth rates dropped SIGNIFICANTLY during the 2008 recession. But that’s just my guess, you could absolutely be right as well!
I am struggling with how apparently superstitious I am. I don’t really want to do anything to prepare. I am reminding myself not to start any new fights with my husband (or really, restart the long simmering ones that are going on 15 years now with no resolution), because he is walking around in an anxious daze too. I am eyeing the commitments I am making later in the week VERY warily, because will I really have what it takes to be around people if there is bad news, or uncertainty? Most are work related, and I work at a university, so people will understand, although it can be hard to deal with other people’s coping mechanisms when they aren’t your own. Girl Scouts is a little more iffy. But I am also afraid not to make commitments because that feels like giving up. And then I should probably think about my kids being old enough now that they will have feelings too. In 2016, having a two and four year old to snuggle is what saved me, but it will be very different now. Maybe they will have trouble going to sleep. Maybe they will need me to reassure them.
I think the only semi healthy thing I have going for me is that I am trying to maintain a sense of optimism about the people in my community (thus the Girl Scouts, and keeping commitments, and I am not really worrying about local violence). But I really don’t know if I am actually prepared at all.
I don’t know what to do. Complicating matters, I made the stupid mistake of booking a trip with friends for 2 days after the election. Two of the friends are fine. One is a Trump supporter. Our friendship survives because I pretend there is no such thing as politics when I am around her since that’s the only way our friendship can survive. So I am either going to pretend not to be thrilled (I can do this) or pretend not to be devastated/heartbroken/angry/scared (I cannot do this) when the results are announced some time on the trip. I’m screwed.
For actual election night, I think the only way I’ll be able to handle it is to drink a bottle of wine and then drug myself to sleep early. Ideally I’d be asleep by 8. I plan on turning off my phone and not looking at it until morning.
I’m curious how we are all dealing with the next 10 days too. I haven’t been able to do anything all week and I suspect that will continue. It’s like I’m frozen in fear.
I just wanted to share my experience with the line-a-day 5 yr journal:
My favorite feature is that you fill in the years yourself. So if you fall off the wagon, it can smoothly become a “line some days, 7 year journal”.
I do have a problem that I fill in far more lines during the summer (I always remember to bring/do it on vacations) vs during the hectic parts of the school year. But whatever. No need to write “Did the grocery shopping” or “Proud of kid’s school project” every year.
I am waffling between hope and extreme anxiety. My plan for election night is a bottle of wine, a good book, some Netflx and an early bedtime – all while hoping for the best and praying that if the best does win out that there won’t be violence.
I’m working at the library until seven so my current plan is straight home and into the shower and then right into the bed with a book. In theory I check in on my phone when I wake up the next morning.
Being on twitter on Tuesday night will be bad for my brain so I’m going to TRY to avoid it.
My favorite hockey team plays on election night (go Bruins), so my plan is to watch the game, but to be sure that I have knitting or a physical book in my hands instead of my phone. Perhaps I will take your advice and, if I do pick up my phone, I will set an alarm for 5 or 10 minutes, then make myself put it down again when it goes off. And then go to bed after the game, no drifting into one-more-look on the phone before bed. Sigh.
I live in Canada and have already been mulling our plans for election night. It may seem strange to you that your neighbours worry to such a great extent about your politics but…here we are. I’ve been thinking that some local volunteering that night would be just the “(don’t) think global, act local” type of action to engage us thoroughly, make a small difference, and prevent stressful scrolling and viewing.
Hang in there xox
I am fascinated to read Canadians are so invested. I wonder if more Americans are than usual? We will finally have a voter turnout percentage that isn’t a disgrace?
I’m in Australia and we are very invested. The app for our public broadcaster has a US Election dedicated channel.
This is because of the AUKUS agreement and the political implications of US actions on our relationship with China (our largest trade partner). Our economy will be heavily impacted by the results. (Not to mention our long standing military partnership and our exposure to retaliatory action in the north of our country as we house so many US troops).
I’m thinking of you all and hoping that it goes well, for everyone’s sake.
Our long-time, geographically scattered friend group usually does a zoom call on alternate weeks. We deliberately planned one for Election Eve and for a bit longer than we usually do. Hopefully this will be a good distraction.
I’m going to be out of town that week so I haven’t figured out what to do. I guess just get dinner and walk around and/or hide in my hotel room with a book.
You are so wise. I am so bad for thinking of this kind of stuff in time. I am going to do the half-hour show then check in thing (I know as a Canadian I don’t have the same skin in the game, but I have a son living in the states and I LOVE YOU GUYS, and it absolutely will affect us too, so I have the nervous energy and I can’t vote, dammit). Sending all the good thoughts, and also going to buy the turkey and squishy rolls because that is a damned good idea no matter what.
For the run-up to the election I ordered a handful of paperbacks because I need something to do to stop me from doom scrolling on my phone, and it’s been money well spent so far.
As for election night, this will be my second Presidential election in a row living in Asia, 12 hours ahead of the East Coast, which means I will be awake all day watching the newscasters try to fill time late into their night and probably around the time I’m ready for bed they may have something to announce. It was days last time, DAYS, and I remember going to bed every night being sure I would miss something while I was sleeping, so hopefully we have an answer sooner this time but I am guessing everyone will want to be extra cautious. My husband is in the States for work and doesn’t get back until after the election, so I’m interested to see how that goes for him.
I bought a bottle of sparkling wine today to open when it is finally announced that we have our first! female! President! and tucked it hopefully into the fridge for next week. Optimism! (I neglected to buy something stronger in case things don’t go my way but I definitely considered it)
I recently stopped mid-activity to figure out why I was walking around with anxiety and a sense of impending doom. I realized it was partially a very real health scare for someone I love and partially the election. It is *already* impacting my mental health. So, I’m doubling down on self care. After dropping my kids off at school, I spend ten minutes at my fire pit with my coffee. I can watch the dogs play, brain dump to my task list or read in safe spaces on the Internet. No news, no social media. I take at least 30 minutes to walk every day. No skipping it. I’ve been cleaning the house and weeding in the garden, even if those wouldn’t normally be top priority. Disordered environment creates low grade stress for me, and that’s a problem right now. While doing this, I listen to a feel good audiobook or a low stress podcast. (Hidden Brain is my top choice.)Last week I doubled down and cleared a bunch of tasks off my list, especially stuff that impacts others. Like cleaning the house, mental clutter has to be reduced right now. Once my kids are home, I’m keeping the focus on us. Multiplication practice, cooking together, riding bikes – no news, no social media. I have done what I can to impact this election, now it’s time to take care of me and mine.
Brilliant. Especially:
“Medically.” lol
and your TV plan for Election Night. Smart, smart thinking which I am also going to implement.
I’m on my third year of my line-a-day journal and I love it! Somehow ‘write a sentence’ doesn’t seem like as much pressure as ‘write a journal entry’, even if said journal entry was only going to be a sentence long anyway. If all else fails, I just make a note of what we had for dinner, or what the weather was like. I actually get a kick out of reviewing the banalities and the weird coincidences, like “oh look, we had meatballs for dinner on this day two years in a row”, or the fact that we turned on the heat a few days earlier this year than last year. It’s a slice of life that my brain would never remember on its own, but that I find fascinating to review.
We’ve already voted.
I hate knowing that there are enough fools and bad-spirited people out there that Trump is even on ballots. I cannot pretend otherwise.
We will be doing what we’ve been doing for weeks now: doing normal daily things and feeling the weight. And hoping that people bring bring their better selves to their ballots. Because I think a person’s better self can ONLY vote for Harris.
If edibles are legal in your state, it’s probably a good time to stock up and partake.
Address the christmas cards— genius!!! of course, buying the Christmas cards first would be even more genius for me. Also love the half hour sitcom breather idea. Stocking up on lots of complicated things to bake and cook (rage baking is real) and share. Ending my Sober October on election night with some GOOD wine. Might do an afternoon movie. Might crochet an entire afghan. Just depends on the anxiety level which, while high in the stratosphere, might also be exhausting enough to sleep by 9. I should get the pets some extra treats. They pick up on that general anxious buzz and its not good for them.
My birthday is Nov 5. It has been a horrible countdown to my birthday seemingly from every direction because of the countdown to the election, and thus a day that I know will not be care-free. I remember going to bed on Nov 4, 2008 and feeling SO GLAD that Obama had won – and I wish that I could have some sort of crystal ball that indicated Kamala would take it in a landslide by dinnertime (I’m in CA), so I might be able to enjoy a few hours of my actual birthday. Instead, I think I will celebrate on the 3rd, and anything extra that happens on my actual birthday is a bonus (free Starbucks). I know, I know, this seems so trivial compared to our actual democracy surviving, I guess it’s more the double blow of what it COULD mean since it’s also my birthday. Sort of how anyone with a Jan 6 birthday is now also frustrated, I’d imagine.