A week ago, many people woke up feeling strong emotions following election results. For some, it was not only difficult to accept and process, but it also left individuals searching for ways on how to navigate interpersonal relationships due to differing political sides. The knee jerk response to block or delete someone from your life, can be dependent on how you feel the election will impact your life. Here are a few steps that can help you process your thoughts during this sensitive time.
Prioritize your feelings: Your feelings are valid and should not be ignored. Take time to process how you feel before communicating with those who might have different political viewpoints. Give yourself permission to do so. It is important to be aware of your own feelings and not mute those emotions to accommodate others. When we do not acknowledge our emotions and give ourselves space, it has the potential to fester and manifest in harmful ways that can show up in future conversations.
Set boundaries: It is perfectly acceptable to set boundaries around political discussions. Certain topics can lead to conflict especially when emotions are high causing people to become more reactive than rational. Next time someone begins a conversation around politics, it is fine to simply say, “I am all tapped out around this topic” and leave it at that.
Practice Active Listening: It is very easy to defend your point of view and not actually understand what the other person is trying to convey. Sometimes people make decisions based on limited information and do not invite open discussion from fear of being judged. One way to create a safe environment is to have empathy by listening to understand. Ask questions to explore a deeper understanding which can help build connection through empathy. Here are a few examples that could be helpful:
How do you think these results will impact your life? How did you think that it would impact others? What role do you think the government should play in addressing social issues? What life experiences shaped your political views? How do you think your upbringing influenced your political choice? What are some of the core values that guided your decision? Can you share a moment when your views changed significantly? What do you believe are the most pressing issues that the country faces today and what do you think your political choice will do to address them? How can we make sure our political choices do not impact our relationship/friendship?
Agree to Disagree: Accept that it is normal to disagree and have different opinions while still being respectful of each other. If this relationship is important to you, do not damage it by coming across too judgmental or close-minded.
Take Breaks: If the conversation becomes too heated, take a moment to cool down. If you find that a conversation is headed in a direction that can be triggering for you, it is completely acceptable to say, “I need a moment and we can revisit this at a later time.”
Stay Calm and Respectful: Maintain a calm, neutral tone and avoid personal attacks. Respect is essential in healthy communication.
Seek support: If you are struggling to find someone to talk to or seeking to maintain your relationships during this time, schedule a consultation with me and together we can develop strategies to help you and your loved ones. We cannot change people, but we can focus on strategies to preserve your relationships while working through political differences.
Schedule an appointment online or by phone:
The House of Healing and Transformation
267-458-8831
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