Being HSP in Post-Election USA

If you go to my main blog page you will see that I have changed the image at the top of my page to this young lady who was generous enough to be my blog "mascot". Her name is Emma and she is fierce. When she learned about the results of the election she declared that she intends to run for president when she is old enough. This gives me hope for our future in what is a very dark time.

Last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were spent in a stunned haze. I cried and raged. I spent more time on Facebook than I should have though not nearly as much as I could have. By Friday I made the decision to stay off social media and it helped my mood.

To follow up on my commitments I made in my last blog post, I did not limit my Facebook time to no more than 5 minutes per day once per day. I did some meditating but not 10 minutes twice a day. I waited until I was so overwhelmed and stressed out that there was nothing else to do. I also did not stick to only foods that help me feel well and sleep at night. Finally, this post is a bit more than 7 days past my last post. As you can see, I'm still in my own learning curve around pro-actively taking care of myself. Sometimes I anticipate things and when I do my self care it always goes better. Other times (most times) I'm still trying to pretend I don't have to do the extra steps to cope.

So there is the internal landscape. And there's also all the other people on the planet. One of the joys of being HSP (note sarcasm here) is the heightened awareness of others' emotions. It's palpable these days. The understandable panic of those who are in groups targeted by some of Trumps supporters is painful to me and yet I'm aware that it's even more painful to them, which offers no relief. I went to a racial justice meeting the other night in the hopes that it would feel good to do something. In a way it did. Conversations with friends who are in the targeted groups are necessary and I wouldn't have it any other way and yet I'm left raw and overstimulated. Sleep has been sparse as I lie awake at night thinking about the conversations in addition to my day to day concerns of parenting, being a wife and community member.

I have been slowly migrating back to the things that I know help. Listening to soothing spiritual music, connecting with friends who lift me up, yoga, eating mostly the foods that nourish me and make me feel good, wearing my newly knitted prayer shawl that feels like a hug, and baths with lavender oil are just some of the things I've been doing to come back to center and take down the stimulation levels.

As a happy result of starting this blog, I've reconnected with a childhood friend. She shared with me that she has been developing a "bag of tricks". I LOVE this idea. Here is what is in her bag: Essential oils (orange or lavender, sensory weighted bean bags, crystals that help with grounding). At times I've had an item or two with me but I love the idea of a bag of tricks that always goes with me. So thankful for everyone who shares their great ideas about how to manage their stimulation levels especially in these overstimulating times.

Blessings,

Caprice