Stay Calm and Expect the Best

Fragment of  anti-Trump therapy quilt 

Tomorrow's The Day, and everyone I know is stressed and disbelieving and even tearful about the outcome of the election.

What if Trump wins? 

Jerry and I talked about it.  Canada's out for him (too cold) and Mexico is out for me (ongoing fear of Montezuma's Revenge).  Real political stalwarts here.

I started a quilt last night as therapy, and I'm trying not to listen to NPR while I work.  This morning I fished out a short article I clipped from the newspaper years ago, and this, plus deep breathing, has calmed me a bit.  Thank you, Mayo Clinic.


1.  Turn it off:  Stop listening, watching, or reading.  "Stop the ever-present stream of information flowing into our lives."  Is this possible for any length of time?

2.  Turn it around:  Do something positive to make the world better such as volunteering. (I'm going to the Berkeley Food Pantry this afternoon; I don't know if this makes the world better, but it certainly re-focuses my attention.)

3.  Go outside:  Experience nature.

4.  Exercise:  It helps relieve stress.

5. Be positive:  Remember that good news does happen.

I tell myself, "Expect the best," the take-away line from an anti-anxiety program I listened to on audiotape decades ago.  It's kept many planes in the air for me.  


I'm thinking that if Hillary wins the election I'll give away the quilt to someone else who supported her (do the colors work for you?).  If  she loses, I'm going to wrap myself in it and suck my thumb.