Uncertainty in Politics
This week, the United States inaugurated Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States. Millions celebrated this, while many others were deeply concerned. Those reactions seemed to only intensify in response to a flurry of executive actions taken by President Trump upon assuming office. Many of these actions specifically change U.S. policy from those of the previous administration. Accordingly, some find this a time of anxiety.
The President’s actions include a change to federal hiring practices, numerous policies related to immigration, and some regarding the environment and energy production. This can and has caused anxiety among wide sections of the legal population for a host of reasons. Perhaps you are a federal employee afraid that a change in policy will leave you without a job. Perhaps you are an immigration lawyer concerned about your clients. Or perhaps you support the President’s policies, but are concerned about how he is implementing them.
Whatever the reason, if you are facing anxiety because of this administration, know that you are not alone. No too, that your value is more than just your job title, or the wins and losses your achieve for your clients. While those things are important, it doesn’t change the fact that you matter because you are here. Your job status doesn’t change the fact that your very existence offers the world something unique.
There are also ways you can manage this anxiety. For one thing, you can avoid the news if you need to do so. Much of what is happening in Washington is beyond your control, and one strategy for managing anxiety is to focus instead on what you can control. This gives you a sense of purpose and stability that might be otherwise lacking in the whirlwind of our 24/7 political news cycle.
It can also help to talk to someone, whether that is a peer support specialist like the ones here at The LegalMind Society, or whether it is a friend of family member, or whether it is a therapist or psychiatrist, the fact is that we are stronger when we have a place to share our burdens.
Lastly, if you are celebrating the political victories of President Trump, your feelings are just as valid. Many see President Trump as a chance for change from policies they disagreed with. Yet your friends, colleagues, neighbors, and family members might not have the same view. Regardless of your political beliefs, it is clear we live in a deeply divided moment in American politics. This division fuels anxiety on both sides of the aisle, but can be eased by substituting bravado for compassion, and listening to those who might have a different view point.
What happens from here remains to be seen. However that doesn’t change the fact that your feelings about President Trump and the policy changes he is making are valid, regardless of what they are. How you manage those feelings can go a long way towards healing anxiety that you or a co-worker, friend, or family member might be experiencing. There may be uncertainty in politics, that might be a constant. Yet we can have certainty in how we choose to approach the world and relate to those who believe something different politically than us.