I did everything in my power to shield myself from the ups and downs of the election cycle. Early in 2024, I asked my husband if it is my citizen duty to engage with the election news and campaigning rhetoric- and his answer stuck with me this whole time.

“Will it change the way you vote?”

No.
And so we carried on, keeping the TV mostly off and Cowboy Carter blasting.

But the moment Biden dropped out of the race, I cried, assuming that America would never elect Black and South Asian female president. I felt like that was the end of the road for democracy as we know it.

But America surprised me.

The swell of optimism and organizing swept me into a renewed sense of hope.

That hope carried me into this past week where it… vanished into the dark sky of 6 p.m. October.

Fear took over. 

It’s not unreasonable to experience fear during times of uncertainty. It’s our natural human response.

It is up to us to find ways to manage it.

I tried a few things: rescheduled meetings and podcasts that required lots of focus. Took more walks. Gave myself space and time. Naps. A massage. I even started GILMORE GIRLS. I have never watched or had a desire to watch Gilmore Girls. I’m looking for healthy distraction.

(To be transparent, hubs also gifted me some plant medicine to address the anxiety that was getting so bad, my face had broken out into a rosacea-style rash. It has helped!)

But none of those things *fixed* the fear.

Here’s what really helped it subside:

1. Allowing myself to feel it and move through me. Crying to release the emotional pressure. Not trying to stop myself from having these feelings.
   
2. Voting. I always vote on Election Day, but this year- I stood in line for an hour and a half to cast my vote early. It was empowering, and also served as a reminder that *most people* are kind, friendly, and not out to get each other. (My voting experience that day began with a man in a white pickup truck pulling into the full parking lot ahead of me, watching as a car pulled out of a parking space, and then gesturing to me in his rear view mirror that I could take the space. I mean, wow. Kindness is still alive.)
   
3. Remembering WOMEN. Women who are not about to go quietly into the night as their rights are stripped away. Women who are the fiercest protectors of their children, loved ones, friends, and communities. Women who band together when it matters most. Women who reach across the aisle politically, racially, geographically, and over any other barrier that separates to pull each other up. WOMEN will determine the outcome of this election, make no mistake.
   

As I fell asleep last night, something familiar filled my mind and heart. It was optimism and hope. The clincher was Kamala Harris’ cold open appearance on Saturday Night Live.

Keep Kamala and carry onala.
Message received.

Join me in embracing hope this week.
It’s a much better place to operate from.