Five Tips to Mindfully Navigate the Election Cycle

As a life coach for moms, I often talk about mindfulness and self-awareness, not just for our own growth, but as a model for our children. But let’s get real for a second: the U.S. election cycle can be brutal, even for someone trained in self-awareness. Our values and beliefs are tied into the political process, and it’s hard not to feel personally invested—and even harder not to feel personally attacked—when others disagree.

Navigating this period takes a lot of internal work. Here’s how I’m approaching it.

1. Non-Judgment Is B.S.: Embrace Your Judgments Mindfully

Let’s start with a common misconception. Being nonjudgmental is largely a myth, if not completely unrealistic. It’s part of our biology. Judgment is how humans survive—it helps us assess situations and make decisions that keep us safe, whether in life-or-death scenarios or simply in choosing who to align ourselves with. As much as we might wish to remain neutral, the truth is we all make judgments. It's not inherently bad.

What I’ve learned, though, is that judgment is a powerful tool for self-discovery. When I feel myself getting emotionally activated/triggered or making assumptions about someone else’s political views, I take a step back and ask, “What does this judgment say about me?” Often, it reveals deeper values or fears I hold. The goal isn’t to eliminate judgment but to raise awareness of how our brains are constantly making these evaluations and understand what they mean about us and the beliefs we hold most dear.

Instead of expecting myself to be non-judgmental, I focus on setting aside my judgments when interacting with others. This doesn’t mean ignoring them; it means recognizing them without letting them define the conversation. In doing so, I create space to learn more about myself and how I connect (or disconnect) from others.

2. Listening Is Key: Hear to Understand, Not to Convince

We all know the value of effective listening, but let’s be honest: most of us aren’t great at it. And during election season? Forget it. Everyone is too busy trying to be heard, to persuade, or to defend their position. Deep listening feels like a lost art in today’s hyper-polarized political climate.

Here’s the thing: listening is a skill. And all skills can be developed, even mastered. To truly listen to someone, especially someone with a different political view, you have to deal with the discomfort that comes up when their beliefs clash with yours. Often, our brains jump straight into defense mode or judgment, tuning out the other person. But when I’m mindful enough to recognize that discomfort, I can push past it and listen with the intent to understand, perhaps even to connect and empathize with their perspective.

It’s hard, I know. Sometimes it feels like you’re just waiting for the other person to finish talking so you can tell them why they’re wrong. But real communication happens when we can hold space for someone else’s truth, even when it challenges our own.

3. Feeling My Emotions: Sitting with the Discomfort

Let me be vulnerable for a moment: this election cycle has me on an emotional rollercoaster. One moment, I’m full of hope and excitement about the potential for positive change, and the next, I’m filled with fear and anxiety about how badly things could turn out. The news cycle is relentless, and some days, it feels like I’m swimming in an ocean of overwhelm.

On top of that, it’s tough seeing friends and family posting things on social media that conflict with my own values, especially if the validity of the information is questionable (hello AI), or it’s otherwise manipulated, demeaning or offensive. It leaves me feeling angry, disappointed, and sometimes even unloved. It’s confusing and uncomfortable to process these emotions, especially when it comes from people I care about. I’m not immune to feeling like I want to just cancel them. (And let’s be clear, sometimes the only way to navigate this season or particularly difficult relationships, in general, is to create boundaries.) But as a life coach, I know that this discomfort is something I have to work through on a case-by-case basis, not avoid altogether.

Sitting with these emotions is necessary if I’m going to maintain meaningful relationships. And that’s important to me, not just because I love these people regardless of how they vote, but because I want to model what unconditional love looks like for my daughter. It’s okay to feel discomfort, anger, or even betrayal when someone’s political stance surprises or hurts us. But rather than immediately shut down, I try to be curious. I ask myself, “Why do I feel this way? What can I learn from this emotion?” When I acknowledge my feelings and give them some space to breathe, I’m able to engage more thoughtfully, and even seek common ground where possible. This doesn’t mean we have to agree—it means we stay open to connection.

“Real communication happens when we can hold space for someone else’s truth, even when it challenges our own.”

4. Putting Things in Perspective: Faith and Grounding

There’s no denying it: this election feels urgent. The stakes seem impossibly high, and it’s easy to spiral into fear about what could happen if things don’t go the way I hope. This can lead to a feeling of helplessness and anxiety, especially when I start to obsess over what’s outside of my control.

When I find myself going down that path, I have to ground myself in perspective. Yes, this election is critical, and yes, I’m doing everything in my power to support the candidate I believe will best serve our democracy. But I also remind myself that there are bigger forces at play. Life has a way of unfolding as it should, even when things seem dire. Trusting in that higher power brings me peace, allowing me to engage without being consumed by fear, outrage, or the need to control.

This doesn’t mean I don’t care about the outcome—I care deeply. But I balance that with faith in the bigger picture. It helps me navigate this stressful time with less anxiety, knowing that I’m doing what I can, and that’s all anyone can do.

5. Leaning into Grace: My self-care go-to

Look. I’ve been a coach for nearly a decade now and honing my self-awareness skills for more than 25 years. I know how hard this inner work is on a “regular day.” But during an election cycle, and especially this one, none of the days seem typical. I’m human, just like you, and will have good and bad days and lots in between. So when I miss the mark to effectively set my judgments aside or listen to understand, or more, I give myself grace. I wrap myself in forgiveness for having attempted to show up with vulnerability, compassion, and as open-minded as possible. And I accept that the hyper-polarization we are collectively navigating in this particular election season feels like mental warfare and I can’t own responsibility for fixing that. Giving myself grace allows me to tend to my wounds and to inevitably try again. At the end of the day, I think the only antidote to our polarization is the committed practice of connection. And that’s a choice we all can make for the relationships that matter most to us.

In Conclusion: A Life Coach’s Approach to the 2024 Election Cycle

Navigating the U.S. election cycle is not just about who you vote for—it’s about who you choose to be in the process. As a life coach and a mom, I embrace my judgments as a tool for self-awareness, practice deep listening even when it’s uncomfortable, and allow myself to feel and process the messy emotions that come up. And most importantly, I keep the bigger picture in mind and hold grace close, knowing that while this election is vital, I can only control my own actions and responses.

If you’re feeling the weight of this election season, know that you’re not alone. We’re all navigating this together, and the best we can do is stay mindful, stay curious, and most of all, stay connected—even when it’s hard.