Politics Stressing You Out? Feeling Anxious, Worried, Annoyed? Read This…

Yesterday, I was close to tears.

I was shivering with anger and disgust as I watched news outlets report on the fact that Boris Johnson is to imminently become the new Prime Minister. This was then made even worse by the fact that Trump referred to him as ‘Britain Trump‘ (I mean he’s kind of right, isn’t he?). I was watching the story develop and just felt so angry and powerless. Angry, because our highest office is now being handed to an incompetent prick and powerless because there’s genuinely nothing I can do about it.

I never used to be like that.

Like most people my age, I found politics to be boring and something that only old people cared about. Something that just happened in the background. This changed a few years ago. Have a guess what event prompted my political awakening? That’s right, bloody Brexit.

Ever since Brexit first came to be as a vague idea and Nigel Farage first expressed his concerns about ‘them foreigners‘, I have been more aware of what is happening around me and more vocal about my views.

I remember I was just about to send off my British citizenship application when the Remain or Leave vote was happening. I felt so angered that there’s this big decision to be made, my future is being put on the line and as a non-brit at the time I had virtually no say in the matter.

And now again, as I see the country being handed to a racist buffoon, I again, feel helpless.

I do not want to be a passive spectator anymore.

I don’t want to be one of those people who are miss-informed, who don’t vote, who think none of this matters. It does matter! The decisions that are being made today will have a direct impact on our lives, and our children’s lives. How on earth does that not scare you? How are you not concerned about the fact that we have unapologetic racists in government? Why aren’t you concerned that some very powerful people who currently sit in parliament want to take away women’s rights to abortion and contraception? Do you not care that the planet is heating up, we are reaching a breaking point and nobody in power seems to care about that? Why aren’t you too as pissed off as I am?!

These were the kind of thoughts that rushed through my mind last night. I was watching Boris victoriously punch the air I imagined every worst-case scenario.

For a brief moment, Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale didn’t seem quite so outlandish.

I expressed those feelings to Axl, and he just turned around to me and said ‘Why do you care?‘. I was so close to punching him in the throat when he continued ‘I don’t know about you, but frankly, my life has actually improved. The last 3 years have been the best of my life so far!‘. And this made me think. What has my life been like over the past 3 years.

Well, actually, life has been pretty good.

Over the past 3 years, I have travelled more, progressed in my career, earned more, saved more, and genuinely been happier. I live in a better place, I have a much better job and the future, my personal future, looks quite bright.

This is not to say that I have somehow benefitted from this climate of uncertainty. No. The point here is that all that uncertainty and political gaffs maybe haven’t had such a deep and profound impact on my personal life. Maybe, just maybe, I overplayed my fears that life will cease to exist because we’re governed by a bunch of see-you-next-tuesdays. As it turns out, no matter how bad it is, I am in charge of my life and the sun keeps on shining every day.

So, why am I stressing so much? I hate to admit it but maybe Boris Johnson was right. There will be planes flying and there will be drinking water after October 31st. Life will go on and no matter what, we’ll stand strong and continue to fight.

The bottom line is, Brexit is a shit show, the current political scene is a nightmare and overall the next few years look quite bleak for the country. But for me? Well, I am quite optimistic about myself, and so should you.

What I’m trying to say is, be politically active, keep politicians accountable, voice your concerns and opinions, stand up to injustices and fight for what you believe in. But do it from a place of positivism. Don’t despair and don’t go into the dark place I went into last night. Anger is a toxic emption so instead focus on the good. You will be just fine. Just remember, we need people like you and me who make a stand because we can actually make a difference.