How to Be a Wise Adult at the U.S. Election

No matter who wins, we have a perfect opportunity to grow – and to wake up.

No matter who “wins”

Remember, this president-elect is not your savior, your Higher Power, your protector. He or she is not the answer to all your prayers, neither your rescuer nor second coming.

They’re also not the bogeyman or bogeywoman.

They are a figurehead, a shared projection.

Whether or not your preferred candidate wins, you or others might benefit from an attitude adjustment. It’s not too early to consider a few key points.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

If “your” candidate LOSES

This election is a golden opportunity for you. I’m serious. An opportunity to clean out the sludge of millions of dollars spent over the past years to vilify the other, to make you believe “they” are the problem. To point fingers at your distant redneck Uncle Fred in that Red State, or your queer cousin Natasha on the Blue coast.

Yep, those millions of dollars spent to distract you and keep you in fear – they’ve done a good job filling your head up with crap.

Remember what it is like to be a Good Sport? The opposite of a Sore Loser? Anyone live through middle school or high school team sports?

You’re in a hell of a game, both teams neck-and-neck the whole way through. It’s the last at-bat in the ninth inning, and a player slides into home base. Like it or not, thems the breaks and that team “won.”

Now, get over your whiny, pouty, immature, name-calling, blaming and resentful self, says Coach. Get out on that field and shake those players’ hands. Give ‘em a high five, whether you feel it or not. Now.

This is your chance. Not to Pollyanna-whitewash the moment, no. But to take a higher ground, a wise perspective. Walk that chalk line, say “good game” to your brothers and sisters who are doing their best. Trust the Great Referee, aka Life Itself. Admit the fact that you’re only liable to point fingers at the refs, saying “they’re cheating!” when you don’t like the call.

If “your” candidate WINS

Sure, you’re human, and you’ll celebrate. You might revel, shout from the rooftops with a big shit-eating grin, or simply breathe a sigh of relief. It is game day, after all. Get some beer nuts or pigs-in-a-blanket or a vegetable crudité platter to devour. Good game!

Nice. Now, get back into training. After the fuzz on the bubbly wanes, your job is to LISTEN.

Over the next days, weeks, months and beyond. Listen. Not by focusing on the media, the podium, the hype, no. Rather, listen to the actual people themselves – specifically those on the “other team.” Find out what they value, and why.

Listen to their personal stories. Get to know individuals from other parts of the country, read articles from writers with different points of view than your go-to perspective. Step out of your bubble, baby.

Listen not from a smug attitude of “Oh, I’m just doing this to further justify my own world view. I’m only tuning in because those poor nitwits are lost, misguided, and they really need to see the light.”

Nope! That’s no better than the missionary cozying up to you on the bus, or the proselytizer waiting for the special moment to soften you up and try to save your heathen soul.

Sorry, but no.

You actually don’t know what is best for another person. Perhaps it’s this exact stance of superiority that keeps us so horribly divided, because we are divided in ourselves through arrogance and judgementalism.

If you are particularly susceptible to catastrophizing

Here are few bonus pointers from a wisdom perspective.

#1 Stay in Present Time.

Stop. Notice, where are you at today? What are you doing? Do you realize that all this stress, doubt, worry stems from a concept, an idea? Rather than spinning your wheels, instead look, feel, experience what is actually happening for you now, in present time. All of the bullshit in your head is just that: bullshit thoughts, machinations, projections.

#2 Drop the Future Tripping Trap

The Future, or the idea of How It’s Gonna Be Now, is just another thought, a fabrication. More bullshit, more ideas. No matter how big that thought form swells, how inflated it becomes, how corroborated it is by millions of collective egos conspiring – see the truth. I repeat: The Future is an idea.

#3 You are Okay and This is Part of the Play

If you’re particularly anxious or fearful, don’t believe the hype. Come back to the here and now. Isn’t it true that, in reality, nothing has changed, except your attention? Remain firmly seated in the self, as the Self.

What is occurring in this electoral dance is part of the great cosmic play, the Lila. No individual ego has any idea what is going to be “good” or “bad” five minutes from now. Think about how many times there’s been some “Oh, this is just horrible” situation, and you give it some time. Et voilà! Blessing in disguise! It’s even better than before.

What if you went into this election with the understanding – the clear, embodied knowing – that whatever happens, it is exactly perfect?

Now, pop the popcorn, pull up a chair, and watch the show. Let’s see what happens!

Join Erin Reese for Satsang Teachings of Non-Duality. November 17 or December 21 via Zoom, 9am Pacific. Themes of Embodied Liberation, Freedom from Suffering, Living Spontaneously, and Unconditional Peace.