I recently saw a television segment about election anxiety. Now that the votes are counted. You’re either jumping with joy or throwing stuff at the TV. Zealous voters worry about the future, obsess over the results, and wonder how the country will survive another two years.

I have a confession. I don’t spend much time worrying about elections.

It’s not that I don’t care about politics. I make a few donations to candidates in other states. I live in Boulder, Colorado, in Congressional District 1. Both are reliably blue. There’s not much election drama here.

My home state, Wyoming, sits at the opposite end of the political spectrum and is solidly red.

Depending on where you live, the election results can either reassure you that the country is on the right track or convince you that civilization, as we know it, is coming to an end.

I have friends at both ends of the political spectrum who have a hard time accepting election results when their candidate loses. My red friends have spent years, and continue, complaining about Joe Biden. My blue friends have had plenty to say about Donald Trump since 2016.

Each side is convinced the other has taken the country in the wrong direction.

We need a national cooling-off period after every election. No political commentary, no cable news, no arguments on social media.

I, for one, need a few weeks to catch my breath.

Of course, that would require people to stop talking about politics on Facebook. I’m not sure we’re ready for that level of national sacrifice.

Now, before we’ve finished processing the election results, the holidays have been arriving since October.

Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s Eve are supposed to bring us together. Instead, they become chances to revisit the election with relatives we haven’t seen since the last family gathering, and to remember why we haven’t seen them.

In the spirit of holiday harmony, I offer a few suggestions for coping with election anxiety.

Seven Tips for Surviving Election Anxiety

1. Turn off the television.

You’ve watched the election coverage. You’ve heard pundits explain the results, analyze them, and predict what they mean for the future of the republic.

You’ve also heard the pundits who predicted the opposite outcome explain why they’re still right.

Give yourself a break. The country survived before cable news, and it will survive without your constant supervision.

2. Avoid political discussions at family gatherings.

This sounds simple, but it takes planning.

If Uncle Fred pipes up about why the election was a disaster, ask him about his vacation. If that doesn’t work, ask him about his health. If that doesn’t work, offer him a piece of pumpkin pie.

Should all else fail, mention that the Buffalo Bills are playing the Kansas City Chiefs. If your relatives are football fans, that might substitute one argument for another.

Choose your battles carefully.

3. Get some exercise.

Shoveling snow has several advantages. It gets you outside, burns calories, and gives you something productive to do with all that nervous energy. You might help a neighbor who isn’t particularly interested in your political opinions.

Besides, it’s difficult to argue about the election when you’re trying to keep from slipping on the sidewalk.

4. Remember that friends who vote differently are only trying to get through life.

I know. This is a radical idea.

I’ve discovered that a person who voted for the candidate I can’t stand can also be a decent neighbor who helps me shovel snow.

We may disagree about politics, but we can still share a laugh, help one another out, and enjoy each other’s company.

Democracy requires us to accept that other people get to vote, too. Even those who didn’t get the memo on how to vote correctly.

5. Find something else to worry about.

If you really need something to occupy your mind, try assembling a piece of IKEA furniture without reading the instructions.

You could start a new hobby, take up jigsaw puzzles, or attempt to understand the instructions for that new electronic device.

Life offers plenty of challenges that don’t require watching another panel of political commentators argue about the future of America.

6. Don’t confuse worrying with doing something useful.

If the election results concern you, respond in a constructive way. Volunteer for an organization, help a neighbor, or support a cause.

You can care about the country without spending every waking hour worrying about it.

Worrying rarely changes the outcome. The best response is to take a deep breath, make a plan, and get on with your life.

7. Remember the turkey.

Thanksgiving comes with its own built-in remedy for anxiety: a large meal followed by a nap.

The tryptophan-laced turkey might not resolve your political concerns, but it could make you too sleepy to argue about them.

If cousin Zach insists on bringing up the election while you’re digesting dinner, you can always close your eyes and pretend you’re asleep.

Remember to gently snore. You don’t want your sister to check your breathing and call 911.

There’s More to Life Than Elections

Elections have real consequences. Citizens have legitimate reasons to worry about their rights, livelihoods, and the country’s future. Telling them not to worry doesn’t make those concerns disappear.

There’s a difference between caring about what happens to our country and allowing election results to consume our lives.

We can stay informed without remaining perpetually outraged. We can disagree without turning every conversation into a political argument. We can spend time with people who see the world differently without treating every disagreement as a threat to the future of civilization.

As we head into the holiday season, we could all use less political combat and

more human connection.

We don’t have to abandon our convictions. We need to remember that there’s more to life than election outcomes.

There will be other elections. There will be another round of political advertisements, campaign promises, pundit predictions, and Facebook arguments.

In the meantime, there’s turkey to carve, pie to eat, and political discussions to avoid with Uncle Fred.

Happy holidays. May your favorite team win, your turkey turn out moist, and your relatives keep their political opinions to themselves, at least until the dishes are done.