The CB — Issue 9, November 3rd, 2020
Hello Friends,
I wanted to send out an email with political races to watch. But I’ve come to understand that this election is stress inducing for people. I’ve never heard so many people talk about anxiety.
To be fair, 2020 doesn’t help. Every time we think things can’t get worse…2020 seems to take it as a personal challenge to defy our expectations.
So as we enter election day together. I’m sending good thoughts to everyone. Democracy isn’t dead yet. We are having national and local elections. Your vote still counts. And the best of America is yet to come.
I also wanted to share something that I hope people can use. Much of the stress inducing information we see on our social media is being driven by political junkies. People that are far more invested in politics every day than most people. People like me for example.
So take a moment. Check out Grover below to crack a smile while finding some calm.
Today, Mika and I will drop off our votes —because we like to put the ballots in the voting box — and take some time together. Just the two of us. To find some peace. And I hope you can too.
So no politics today. Just a few ideas below to help you manage what has become an anxiety inducing and stressful time.
Forward Together.
/C
1/ Adopt the 6PM Rule
Rule: No news or TV until 6PM
Outside of a full blown meltdown, in which case all bets are off anyway, avoid the news until 6PM PST. You can read all of the news you missed during the day in :15 minutes. You don’t need to read it repeatedly throughout the day. Here’s a good breakdown of State poll closures and why they matter.
Oh, and only a few States will even be certified by midnight. Most, as in something like 47 States, will take days/weeks to certify. So remember, 6PM rule.
2/ Turn off social media
Unless you need to use Social Media for work, turn it off. Delete the apps if needs must. That’s half the battle. Just don’t turn it on.
I haven’t had Facebook on my phone since 2013. It removes the habit of looking at it. You can always reinstall on 11/4.
Do yourself a favor today. No social media. True friends and family will text/call you.
3/ Use today to be present with a loved one.
There’s no better time to remember why you love someone —whether that’s spouse, partner, child, family, or friend — than to spend time with them during stressful moments. To find strength from each other.
That might be an afternoon walk. Coffee. Drinks. Sports activity. Lunch. It doesn’t have to be all day. Carve out a specific time to enjoy each other.
And whatever you do, be sure to be present with that person. Don’t talk about politics. Use the national shutdown as a positive. If you skip work today, we all understand.
4/ Remember. It’s your crazy uncle tweeting.
Maybe it’s not your uncle —I know my uncle is going to email me about this newsletter — but you get the point. Not everyone is posting something on social media about politics. But there are select communities that only post politics on social media. Know that. And use that knowledge to keep moving forward without stressing.
Send Charles a question
Questions, suggestions, comments? Send me an email or find me on Twitter @CharlesBelle
ABOUT The CB
After running for Supervisor in San Francisco, people keep asking me — What can I do? I created The CB because I know people care about our communities, our cities, our country, and our future. We need real change. And you don’t want to sit on the sidelines, you want to be part of the change for a better world. The CB newsletter answers the question “What Can I Do?” with easy to digest, curated actions, to help each of us change our world for the better.