Protecting Your Peace
Periods of change can be deeply unsettling. Going through a political change when you belong to a minority group can be unnerving. That feeling of the unknown and not knowing how life will be different going forward can be a lot to manage.
This is true of the LGBTQ+ community in the UK where we found ourselves in a whole new political climate. This came after a six week election campaign that saw some of the leaders of the prominent political parties exchange transphobic statements and fear-mongering. As the United States prepare to go to the polls in November, the very future of the queer liberation movement is at stake.
It can be easy to get overwhelmed and bogged down with the “what if this happens?” and catastrophising over what may be. Of course, it is important to be informed and vigilant but it’s much more important to take care of your own well-being and mental health. If we don’t protect ourselves in these pivotal moments, we risk burning out when we need the extra energy most.
We all need to arm ourselves with vital tools and techniques to protect our peace. When the outside world gets too overwhelming, we have to be able to know that it’s ok to take a step back. Here are some tips that you can learn. Simple things you can do to stop yourself becoming overwhelmed when the world feels too heavy.
Step away
Put down your phone, stop doom scrolling. Switch the TV off and (it sounds so cliche) but give yourself a break. Our lives are so intrinsically linked to our social media now and we can be bombarded with new information that just gives us something new to worry about. Setting time out of your day to be screen free, and information free will give you a much needed break. Make yourself a mug of your favourite hot drink of choice and just breathe. Be in the moment, look out of your favourite window. Just five minutes will help break that information overload spiral.
Take 2
Take two minutes to ground yourself. This is a great way of just calming yourself when everything feels too much and it is SO simple. I use this technique to just stop myself overthinking and becoming overwhelmed. I take a seat somewhere comfortable. I close my eyes and relax my breathing. I silently count my breaths up to 60 and then back down again to 0. By the time I reach zero I’ve broken the cycle of overthinking and have reset my mind.
Have fun!
It sounds obvious but allow yourself to have fun. Even in moments where things in the world don’t feel so great. Make time to do the things you enjoy most - take a walk, do some yoga, do a workout, do some gardening, play a video game, dance around your living room to your favourite song. Do what you need to do to make you feel more content. It really does sound obvious but it is so easy to forget. Doing something that will put a smile on your face, even for just five minutes, may your day feel just that little bit better.
Find community
In periods of uncertainty many of us will be feeling similar. If you think it may help you, or others, reach out to friends. It may give each of you an outlet for your emotions, whatever they are. The realisation, that although emotions and feelings are complex, there are others who feel a similar way can be comforting in itself. Just having someone that will listen is priceless.
Be proactive
Often we find ourselves feeling helpless or just wanting to feel like you’re doing something, rather than waiting to see what happens. If you’re the kind of person that feels more comfortable to be doing something then there are lots of ways to be proactive. Research your local LGBTQ+ campaign groups and see if any need volunteers or help. Be proactive in informing others about the issues LGBTQ+ people are facing. Feeling a sense of accomplishment about doing something, no matter how small, can give us a greater peace of mind. Turn whatever you are feeling into something proactive.
Allow yourself to feel
This is probably the most important thing. Recognise any emotions you are feeling about the situation. Fighting against them won’t help you process them. If you’re angry about something you’ve seen, allow yourself to be angry. If you’re sad, allow yourself to be sad. If you’re happy, allow yourself to enjoy that moment. We are all individuals with complex emotions. We’d all love to live in some kind of utopia, but we have to somehow manage and make sense of things that are beyond our control. None of us are going to feel exactly the same way about something. Only by allowing ourselves to sit with whatever emotion we are feeling are we going to be able to process that feeling completely and be able to move on to whatever is next.
