Processing the Outcome

Photo by Rick Hustead

The ballots are in. The votes are counted. Acceptance and concession speeches, respectively, have been delivered. Many people are thrilled with the outcome of this contentious presidential campaign; many people are not. But even though Americans have made their choice who will be the next Commander-in-Chief, there is plenty of raw emotion on display. 

For months, many Americans believed and expected that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would win the election. Ultimately, that was not to be. Last night, millions of citizens who had grown frustrated, weary and jaded by the business-as-usual antics of lifelong Washington politicians effectively expressed this dismay in electing Republican candidate Donald J. Trump as the United States’ 45^th president. The stunning outcome of the presidential race was surprising, exciting, disappointing depending which candidate you supported. On the one hand, the election was a great civics lesson for all Americans to illustrate how this country’s election process works and why every citizen’s vote really does make a difference. People who had been frustrated, angry and, yes, scared, about where they thought the country was headed dropped the metaphoric gauntlet for change, and the new President-Elect picked up that mantle. In his acceptance speech, he swore to be their champion and effect all those social changes his supporters wanted.

Meanwhile, many of Secretary Clinton’s supporters are experiencing grief and even confusion about what happened last night and, more significant, anxiety what will happen in the next four years. Those who voted for and expected her to win this presidential race also had a special vested (subconscious) interest in her inauguration. A Democratic president has occupied this office for eight years. In addition to supporting causes that are particularly important to this party, people have become comfortable with what Mrs. Clinton represents and stands for. In the 30-plus years she has been politically active, her political mind-set and decision-making processes/actions had become familiar and known. It was unlikely she would say or do anything unexpected or whimsical. She represented a reliable, “safe” choice for a leader who promised to fulfill certain specific campaign promises.

However, more people in the country wanted and demanded a change from business-as-usual. Mr. Trump’s message spoke clearly and directly to his party. He promises to deliver what his supporters haven’t enjoyed for a long time—including, they insist, a sense of feeling safe and protected. Whether he consciously employed hypno-modality techniques at political rallies, the President-Elect (more) successfully used these tools to convince voters that he was the better candidate for the job.

Almost 24 hours later, Americans are still processing the outcome of this recent election and what it means—and will mean—for this country. It is okay to feel disappointment and even grief if your candidate did not win. Many people’s dreams, hopes and optimism for a better future started to be realized at the exact same moment those of other people were dashed. Depending on your level of investment in this race, you may need to revise your previous subconscious mental script or even construct a completely new one to adapt to these unexpected/unwanted changes in your long-term plan. Meanwhile, take care to prevent getting carried away in daydreams or falling into a spiral of toxic worry about the future. Get plenty of sleep at night and be sure to eat healthy, nutritious meals that contain protein (meat or plant-based) that will help keep your mood even and anxiety levels low. Diaphragmatic breathing exercises and practicing the Emotional Freedom Technique are also great ways to increase relaxation and reduce anxiety and any negative emotions/associations about the outcome of this election.

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.

© 2016