I've lost a fair amount of sleep worrying about the election. Friends of mine have been so outraged that they've been unable to eat, relax, or merely watch the debates without screaming at the TV. Although these reactions may be understandable, feelings of stress and victimization are taking a toll on our bodies. And if we don't watch out, they'll push us to a state of total misery -- and ill health.
For the last fifteen years, my partner, Rick Foster, and I have traveled the world studying happy people and discovering a roadmap to the happiness/health connection. We've worked closely with the Mayo Clinic and also interviewed people on six continents. What we found were nine universal things that help ensure a joyful and healthy life. One of these is a refusal to blame others. To substantiate this point, we asked hundreds of doctors and nurses a simple question: Is there anything that seems to characterize which of your patients will be most unhealthy. By far, the most common answer is, "They are the people who see themselves as victims."
Let's face it, when we feel victimized we give away our power to whomever or whatever we blame -- ironically giving power to politicians who we'd never want to have that power. To make matters worse, when we see ourselves as chronic victims, we create an internal state that's similar to being under constant attack. Our blood pressure and heart rate jump up, our digestion shuts down, and the immune system prepares for battle. We eventually reach an exhaustion phase which is the endpoint of excessive stimulation from anger fear and anxiety. Studies show that this results in a host of very undesirable outcomes: reduced sex drive, insomnia, depression, decreased memory, impaired digestion, and immune deregulation.
Just picturing these horrible effects on the body has had a life-changing effect on me. I'm simply not willing to allow McCain and Palin to disrupt my digestion -- or my libido. These days I challenge myself each time I say things like, "I can't believe what they're doing to us now," or "Those Republicans are ruining my country!" These are my signals to redirect to a new mindset that goes something like this: "How can I make things better for me and for others?" Here are some tips for taking control rather than feeling victimized:
* Email everyone you know and urge them to get out there and vote.
* Speak to power. Contact your congressional representatives and share your feelings.
* Volunteer to help friends and family who could benefit from your acts of service. Contact community organizations and offer to lend a hand. Studies show that non-monetary giving is associated with longevity. Helping out on election day could nudge you toward a longer life.
* Make a list of everything you love, and then do as many of them as you can. If you love having friends over, send out an invite for a weekend spaghetti party - replete with political discussions.
* Set your intention each morning to look for all the things you appreciate in your life. Set an intention to make a difference in at least one person's life each day.
Here's the bottom line: It's not that we aren't victims of politicians, lobbyists, political parties, and special interest groups. We are. But please join me in the battle against seeing ourselves as victims without control. There is always something we can do. And it is those feelings of capability that lead us to effective activism and participation in our country's future -- AND to happiness and good health.
Greg Hicks is a leadership consultant, internationally recognized pioneer in the happiness/health connection, and co-author (with Rick Foster) of three books: Choosing Brilliant Health, How We Choose to Be Happy, and a children's book, The Martha is Mine...An Almost True Story. He can be reached at www.fosterhicks.com.