5 Things You Can Do Instead of Worrying About the Future of Our Country

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Recently something happened in our country that shook the foundation of everything we know. Most of us have been left feeling shell-shocked regardless of what our political beliefs are and frankly, it’s not a fun feeling. Not at all.

Instead of sinking into existential dread, here are five things you can do instead of worrying about the future of our country:

Stress Eat

What’s your favorite food? That’s cool! Better buy it in bulk. Why, you ask? Because you’re going to be stress eating and you may as well snarf down something you enjoy. Stock your cupboards with cookies, stuff your bag with chips, fill your pockets with candy and arm your fists with a burger in one hand and a milkshake in the other. Take a deep breath. Swallow. It’s going to be OK.

Get Dystopian With It

The real world happens to be terrifying so perhaps you’d be interested in nestling up with a few of the finest dystopian novels around. Besides, you can forget about how bad it is by thinking about how bad it could be. Here are some personal faves:

  • Brave New World – Aldous Huxley
  • 1984 – George Orwell
  • Animal Farm – George Orwell
  • The Handmaid’s Tale – Margaret Atwood
  • Anthem – Ayn Rand
  • A Clockwork Orange – Anthony Burgess
  • The Lottery – Shirley Jackson

Nap the Pain Away

Napping is easily one of my favorite pastimes. It could be yours too. Really! All you need to do is close your eyes. Naps are especially helpful when you’ve sunken into The Great Indifference and just need some escape time. I prefer setting a timer so I know exactly how long I can dream. The timing is as follows:

  • 0 to 15 minutes – Helps in a time crunch but doesn’t leave you feeling rested
  • 20 to 30 minutes – Ideal nap length for feeling refreshed
  • 45 minutes to an hour – Leaves you rested and partially discombobulated
  • 1.5 hours to 3 hours – This is too long and I do not recommend
  • 3.5+ hours – This is no longer a nap, this is called sleeping

Just Cry

You could do that thing that I tend to do most days, even when there isn’t a sense of doom hanging over my head: cry. You might want to whip out your phone, too, and make sure to document your angst on all social media channels, including but not limited to: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr and Snapchat. Go ahead, a good cry helps. Be sure to have a hefty reserve of Kleenex ® Facial Tissues with Lotion. Treat yourself to the nice kind of tissues. You deserve it.

Get an Awful Song Stuck in Your Head

Listening to uplifting music can do wonders for your mood. It can also blast and drown out any and all noise from lengthy social media rants, rambling discussions about the current state of our country, ( or even wailing children at the grocery store, people coughing, sneezing, farting and talking loudly on public transport or any song by Twenty One Pilots or the Chainsmokers.)

For predicaments such as the one we are all collectively in, I will pull out a good’un from the archives. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you ‘Mambo No.5 Bike Horn Edition’. Listen to it until you feel a tremor in your brain, a jiggle in your step and until all your cares are gone.

And if you feel like falling down the musical black hole, may I also recommend:

There you have it, folks. A list of just a few of the things you can do to avoid thinking about how the world’s falling apart. Remember that it’s going to be okay (eventually), that you’re not alone and to be nice to yourself and others. So what if you’re a bit broken and battered – you can dust yourself off. There’s still some fight left in ya!