What to say when asked about your voting choices: "Be honest, be straightforward, and be true to yourself."
This week, it's likely that anyone you encounter will want to discuss the election.
According to Vanessa Kennedy, director of psychology at Driftwood Recovery in Austin, Texas, socializing and staying busy can help reduce stress during recovery, but being around certain friends or family can have the opposite effect.
"People can increase our anxiety instead of calming us during uncertain situations," she remarks.
It's a good idea to have prepared responses ready in case you are asked questions you don't want to answer.
A Stanford University lecturer and communications expert, Matt Abrahams, suggests a few politely worded strategies to divert the conversation from the topic of voting.
""Be straightforward, be precise, and be truthful," he advises."
1. I cannot disclose that information. 2. It's not something I'm willing to share. 3. I prefer to keep that private. 4. I'm not at liberty to reveal that.
- You can say something like "I made a rule for myself that I'm not going to discuss the election until it's totally over."
- Instead of discussing the presidential election, let's focus on the upcoming ballot measure or local race. This way, we can still engage in conversation while respecting our boundaries.
- The simplest approach is to inform the other person that you are not comfortable discussing it at the moment. Abrahams recommends saying something like, "I'll feel more comfortable discussing this after a few days when the dust settles."
- Engage in a conversation with the other person about their views on the election cycle without disclosing your own stance.
Abrahams employs the "explaining" technique.
"He states that he never advises dishonesty and reveals that he avoids discussing the matter because he is highly emotional, so he explains his emotions."
Rewritten sentence: Can you please provide me with the necessary information to complete the task?
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- Instead of avoiding this type of person on election night, seek out those who provide comfort and assurance, a therapist advises.