Many people still carry a lot of blame, theories and toxic feelings coming out of the 2016 election about whose fault it was that “we lost” and what has to happen this time. As social media does its thing and people retweet, like and reheat their favorite posts about their favorite candidates (or those they love to hate), how do I learn and share about the strengths and weaknesses of the candidates without weakening (or coming to despise) the person I’m eventually going to support?
Until I wrote the above I was ready to advise myself on how to speak or write lovingly in the world. While that might well be useful, I just realized I skipped a step. If I were coming out of a painful relationship or job and starting to look for a new partner or employment, my spiritual advisors would probably suggest that I clear out my anger, hatred, grief, fear and otherwise limiting beliefs from the previous relationship(s) and job(s) before I look for a new one. As they say, “wherever I go, there I am.” If I don’t do the work of preparing myself to go into 2020 with an open heart and an open mind, I’m liable to attract the same partner/job/candidate that I had in 2016–the one that hurt me so badly.
Since we still have over 6 months before most of us cast anything approaching a real vote, let’s take a pause to do our work around this election. I’ll send you some tools for that soon. In the meantime, take a look at the field and see what feelings come up. There are SO many candidates (see NY Times interactive chart) and they keep coming, why hello, Bill de Blasio Mayor of New York (reaction of media, essentially: “your candidacy is ridiculous, we only want small town mayors”). Oops, I need to do my work…
Like many, I woke up the day after the election and immediately went into shock. And with the "Breaking" or "Shocking News" every day, sometimes many times a day, I feel like I have PTSD.
Forgiveness and Grief work – such a good idea and so important!
Thanks Sara.