post-election hangover

So the election is over.

We’ll have a new Prime Minister, leading a party that for the most part has policies and philosophies that I’m very much opposed to, and the thought of these people being in power for the next three years scares me.

To be honest, there was a lot to dislike about the previous government too, but I think they were mostly taking steps in the correct direction (with some very notable exceptions). Yet they managed to rip themselves apart and turn voters off in droves. Certain elements of the media didn’t really help their cause either. 

I hope that they use this result as a chance to re-group, rebuild and come back as a united, genuinely alternative party to the government-elect.

I don’t want to dwell on why we got the result we got. I don’t want to dwell on why I disagree with the incoming government on so many things. That would take forever, and I’d start to get stabby and angry.

The election is over and done with and I have to live with the result. There’s nothing I can do about it.

So I decided to look at it like this. I have two choices. I can get angry and complain about how much I despise the incoming PM and focus on all the things I dislike about him and his party, which is tempting because I do like to complain. (And I’m not going to kid myself that I’m never going to say a negative word about him over the coming three years.)

Or I can take the disappointment, anger and disgust that I feel and channel it into fighting back and standing up for what I believe in. Turn it into something positive. Find ways that I can make a difference.

Right now I don’t know what form any of this will or can take. 

I haven’t thought much beyond my initial realisation that there are options other than feeling down about it - which came as something as a shock to me, because I expected to be feeling totally miserable today. This is the first time in my life an election result has made me feel strongly about actually doing something to try and make a difference, and that feels kind of good. 

So while the election didn’t go the way I would have preferred, I’m going to look for things that I can do that will help me express my disappointment and disagreement in positive and constructive ways. And if I can do this, then in some way, the election will have had a good outcome for me.

Onward and upward. And maintain the rage.