OhOn Monday, Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States. For some, it is a much-anticipated day of celebration. Others dreaded it – and would happily make a deal with the universe to move on to another day, four years later.
Why so much distress after months of processing the result of this divisive election? Many people are probably catastrophizing, experts say, a cognitive distortion that involves focusing on the worst possible outcome and believing it is inevitable. The thinking is: “Oh my God, if everything is going to happen like this and follow this thread, then we are all going to die,” says Emiliana Simon-Thomas, scientific director at the University. of California at the Greater Good Science Center in Berkeley.
Still, it’s not a useful or productive way to spend Inauguration Day (and every day after). “I’m very far from the type of overly optimistic person who tries to put their head in the clouds and pretend like nothing is happening,” says Simon-Thomas. “But I think it’s worth remembering that this is a unique moment: this is a four-year term and things are changing both quickly and very slowly. This kind of perspective can alleviate that feeling of hopelessness.
We asked experts to share their favorite science-based suggestions for how to spend Inauguration Day if you’re dreading it.
Give back
The fact that Inauguration Day falls on Martin Luther King Jr. Day — a federal holiday, giving many people the day off — is coincidental, says Anindita Bhaumik, a therapist and certified trauma professional in Boston . Take advantage of your empty calendar by participating in a local service project, she suggests. Volunteering has been shown to reduce stress and depression, increase happiness, and improve life satisfaction, motivation, social support, and sense of community.
“The cause of anxiety is often the desire to control the outcome,” she says. “We can’t control the outcome at all times, but what we can do is control what we do: ‘I’m going to go to a shelter and brush a horse or give a dog a bath, and that m ‘will bring joy for a while.’ hour and help someone else This I can control.
Training
Even if you’re not normally a gym-goer, consider jogging or cycling while the new president is sworn in. Research suggests that it’s one of the most powerful and reliable ways to unlock a higher, positive emotional state, not only while you’re doing it, but also afterward. “Exercise is a challenge and you succeed,” says Simon-Thomas. “Once people exercise, they feel better emotionally, and of course it’s physically healthy and it’s an accomplishment.”
Plus, it can help you regain a sense of power that you might be missing on Inauguration Day, she adds. You may not be able to do anything about the new administration’s policies, but do you know what you can do? Fifteen perfectly shaped puppets.
Be creative
Spending time on creative activities, like singing, painting, ceramics or cooking, is a great way to “get out of your head,” says Simon-Thomas. “For those who have the impulse, ‘This is going to be terrible.’ I’m so angry, I feel so violated, or whatever the unpleasant emotion is, can you sit quietly and do something or marvel or marvel or be curious or just extend your mind to something aesthetic ? “No one is able to pay attention to everything immediately,” she points out, “and if you focus deeply on something like drawing, you will have less space in your brain to devote to the events of the day.
Learn more: For better well-being, simply breathe
An idea that might appeal to even non-artistic types: create a vision board, suggests Julia Barzozza, a visual artist and sociology researcher in San Francisco. Consider how you envision a peaceful and improved democracy: “For the queer community, this could be more queer representation; for BIPOC people, it could be a different inauguration,” she says. Then collect images that represent your vision, whether they’re your own drawings or cutouts from magazines or the Internet. “The process is really about consolidating your ideas and clarifying your point of view,” says Barzozza. “Once that perspective feels really solid and concrete to you, you should definitely share it on social media, with friends, or maybe in your office.”
Do forest bathing
Bhaumik just spent a week in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, where she loved counting trees and observing their long, bare branches. She knows they will be different in a few months, when the green buds reappear, and again when their leaves turn yellow, red, then brown.
On Inauguration Day, do your own forest bathing, Bhaumik suggests: Spend time in nature using your senses to connect with the environment. Better yet, silence your phone while you do it. “You will feel humbled,” she said. “This mountain will be here forever and ever, and you are only one human being standing here. Everything comes and goes, but nature is always there. It’s an important reminder that tough times will eventually pass, she adds.
Spend five minutes journaling
Insert a short “brain dump” into your day, suggests Nicolle Osequeda, a therapist at Lincoln Park Therapy Group in Chicago. Set a timer for five minutes and write down everything that’s swirling around in your mind, no matter how scattered it may seem. Putting your thoughts down on paper “helps reduce mental clutter and silent spiraling thoughts,” she says. It can also help you identify patterns in your worries, allowing you to start thinking about solutions. Osequeda likes to end journaling sessions with a simple affirmation: “I can take breaks from the news” or “I choose to protect my peace.”
Go see a show
Check out the listings for your favorite local theater or concert hall. If something piques your interest, get tickets for Inauguration Day. Research suggests that experiences that inspire awe, like inspiring performances, improve your mood and lead to greater well-being in the moment, among other benefits. “Fear makes you humble,” says Simon-Thomas. “It makes you feel connected to other humans, to the arc of humanity, and to the human interest.” Instead of seething with animosity, “you can kind of step back and feel like we’re all in this together.”
Do something nice
Set aside a few hours to write letters to friends, perhaps to express your gratitude, or bring your neighbors a gift, like a slice of banana bread. “There is a lot of evidence for what is known as the ‘warm glow,’ which is the way your nervous system signals pleasure and reward when you see that something you have done improves your well-being. ‘another person,’ explains Simon-Thomas.
Learn more: Daily habits from happiness experts
Kind gestures also offer a sense of empowerment on a day when such a feeling might otherwise be lacking. It’s proof that you’re still capable of doing things that benefit your community, no matter how big or small: “It can awaken that feeling that, ‘OK, I can keep moving forward and stand up for what’s important to me.’ » she said.
Smile at others
Your nervous system is programmed to quickly determine whether someone is a friend, stranger, or foe. In hunter-gatherer times, it was logical to assume that you encountered an enemy who might try to steal your food or take your land. This isn’t usually the case in modern society, but you may not be used to smiling at people you pass on the street, says Simon-Thomas.
On Inauguration Day, challenge yourself to greet others in a friendly manner. “Forming a smiling expression makes you more ready to experience a positive state,” she says. “Sharing this with strangers and members of your community evokes a sense of collective trust and unity.”
dance it
Let Washington politicians enjoy their inauguration balls. You will be busy at your own dance party. Create a playlist of songs that instantly improve your mood, suggests Osequeda, like Shake it by Taylor Swift or Happy by Pharrell. When stress sets in, take a break from what you’re doing and dance like it’s going out of style. “Music moves your energy quickly,” she says. Additionally, upbeat songs trigger the release of dopamine and endorphins, while dancing relieves physical tension, which can help counteract anxiety.
Cry with a friend
It may seem counterintuitive, but if you need to shed a few tears on Inauguration Day, it’s healthy to let them out with one caveat: You shouldn’t do it alone. “The grace and speed with which a person recovers from grief if given the opportunity to grieve with the support of another person – someone they trust and who they feel cares about it – is considerably improved,” says Simon-Thomas.
Learn more: The science of crying
Although research suggests that crying alone is not very helpful, crying in the presence of others often provides comfort, support, empathy, and stronger social bonds. “It’s really very beneficial to experience this emotion in an honest and authentic way, and to reap the benefits that we are endowed with on an interpersonal level.”
Zoom out
Inauguration Day is a great time to step back and decide whether you want to simply weather the next four years or view them as an opportunity. Changing your mindset can seem daunting, Simon-Thomas admits, but it’s a great way to overcome feelings of overwhelm and hopelessness.
She recommends a mental exercise that can help you zoom out: Start by imagining a trail marker on a long, winding path. “Step back a little and ask yourself, “Well, where is this marker, where does the trail begin and end?” “, she said. You could even travel back in time and think about where the idea for the trail came from and who actually created it, clearing brush and turning up piles of dirt.
Doing an exercise like this can help put other situations into perspective and change the way you perceive them. “That kind of higher, broader, more global perspective makes the specific moment a little less heavy,” Simon-Thomas says, “because it’s part of something bigger.” »
