In this quick guide we’ll take a look at a few simple but powerful tools for increasing mental resilience in politically charged environments, to help reduce tension and conflict.
Conflict seems to be everywhere you look - between countries, within countries, even between friends and family whose political opinions differ. External conflict can bring internal conflict too, making you question your beliefs, struggle with automatic reactions, and look for coping mechanisms.
The current environment can feel especially difficult, and you might feel like unplugging and checking out of it all in order to preserve your mental health. With all the heightened tension in the world, nobody can blame you for feeling that!
For us to create a reality that consists of open dialogue, understanding, and more compassion, we need to participate in its creation. Conflicts need to be resolved not just with others, but also inside ourselves.
The good news is that we have the tools at our fingertips to make that happen, and getting there doesn’t have to be wrought with stress.
Replacing Judgment with Curiosity
During political discourse, you might find yourself in uncomfortable situations where you disagree with the views of the person across the table from you and have a hard time releasing your judgment.
A core concept within mindfulness is non-judgment, but it isn’t always easy to let go of judgments. Even when you become aware that you are being judgmental and consciously acknowledge that you don’t want to be that way, it’s still hard to shake the feeling.
We don't need to wait until all judgments have disappeared before we start acting in a non-judgmental way. One way you can do this even when all your judgments haven’t disappeared is by playing with curiosity.
Curiosity is a tried and true method for practicing Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), and is even recommended today by clinical institutions such as Jefferson University Hospitals.
“The greatest problem with communication is we don’t listen to understand. We listen to reply. When we listen with curiosity, we don’t listen with the intent to reply. We listen for what’s behind the words.” ― Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart
Next time you find yourself across the table from someone with an opposing viewpoint, even if you don’t agree with them, try asking questions to show that you are truly attempting to understand their side of the story.
The curiosity you exhibit will show that you are compassionate, which naturally reduces tension.
Prioritizing the Present Moment
How will things change in the current political landscape? Will tensions get worse? Will people become more divided? The constant stream of news about conflict brings a lot of anxiety and fear around how things may change in the future.
It is important to remember that worrying about things that might happen in the future is not productive. It drains your energy and damages your health. It is more important than ever to increase mental resilience, especially in our current environment, which is filled with psychological spam.
“He who suffers before it is necessary, suffers more than it’s necessary.” -Seneca
A powerful tool to manage this is focusing on the current moment, being fully present in the now. Research on mindfulness meditation practices that help you stay in the present moment have shown powerful pain reduction results, not just mentally but even physically. Focusing on the present moment has a very real impact on our physiology. Mindfulness practices like body scanning help you ground in the present moment, accept how things are, and be in the now.
The only moment you truly have is the one right now - don’t spend it all living in fear of potential future events.
Using the Power of the Breath
As much as we may all want to avoid feeling triggered and having emotionally-charged responses, it is only human to experience these things at times. Then after reacting with heightened emotions you might even find yourself feeling guilty. Getting stuck in guilt isn’t going to make you feel better, and ruminating about past occurrences only takes you further away from the present moment.
Instead, we can use the breath to manage those moments and return to a sense of calm. For example, when you hear someone talking about their political views and they don’t align with yours, take a purposeful breath. The moment that you take to breathe allows you to mentally take a step back, and gives you a powerful sense of perspective.
Breathe in deeply to bring your mind home to your body. – Thich Nhat Hanh
You can use the breath preemptively too. If you know you’re going to be in a situation where others might express views against your own that are challenging, remember to take deep breaths. With just one breath, you can evoke a relaxation response in your body.
You know that family dinner where things are bound to get political, or the zoom call with high school friends that includes an outspoken activist?
Take a purposeful breath before going into the situation. That single breath can help you respond with respect, calm, and as little judgment as possible. One breath could be all the difference between an argumentative, contentious conversation and a respectful dialogue that leads to greater understanding.
Key Takeaways
If you really feel overwhelmed by the current state of affairs, you might need to step aside, take a break from the news, or go for a walk to just calm down, but that doesn’t mean you need to step out of the conversation entirely.
Take advantage of these mindfulness techniques:
- Replace judgment with curiosity
- Prioritize the present moment
- Leverage the power of taking a breath instead of reacting
You will continually improve on your reactions and handle emotionally charged situations with ease.
With these mindfulness practices, you can participate in difficult conversations, handle politically-charged situations with grace, and lend an ear to opinions that are different from yours, all while increasing mental resilience.
Learn more about the breathing and mindfulness here.