You know that feeling in your belly right now? That mix of emotions that’s hard to put into words? I’m feeling it too.

As I sit here watching my ducks splash in their morning pond (completely unbothered by the weight of world events, bless their feathered hearts), I’m thinking about how we’re all processing Tuesday’s election in America. The ripples of what happened aren’t just crossing borders, either. They’re moving through our hearts, touching each of us in deeply personal ways.

I want to create a gentle space here, between these words, where we can sit with all of this together. Because goodness knows, what we’re feeling runs so much deeper than politics.

You know how sometimes you catch your reflection in a window when you’re not expecting it, and you see yourself in a whole new way? That’s what these big political moments do for us collectively. 

They show us parts of ourselves – the beautiful and the uncomfortable – that we might not usually see. All that division out there is really just reflecting the push and pull we all feel inside sometimes.

Think of it like this (and I love this metaphor): just as the moon tugs at the ocean, making the tides rise and fall, these moments pull at our deepest waters – stirring up our hopes, our fears, all those dreams we hold close to our hearts.

Right now, some people are riding high on waves of joy, while others are feeling like they’re underwater. Wherever you are in those waters, know that it’s okay to be there. Your feelings – all of them – have a place here.

You know what’s fascinating? (And this is where my psychology-loving heart gets excited.) When we’re feeling all these big emotions about what’s happening, we’re actually tuning into something ancient and powerful inside us. It’s like different parts of our soul are showing up:

• There’s that fierce part that wants to stand up and fight for what’s right 
• The tender-hearted healer in us who just wants to make everything better 
• Our inner wise one who’s trying to make sense of it all 
• And that nurturing force within that wants to gather everyone close and make sure they’re okay

So what do we do with all of this? (Because I know you’re wondering.) Here’s what I’m doing, and maybe it’ll resonate with you too:

When you notice strong feelings bubbling up (and oh, they do), try to get curious about them instead of pushing them away. Ask yourself gently, “What’s this about, really?”

If you’re talking with someone who sees things differently (and isn’t that challenging?), see if you can listen with your heart first. Not to change their mind or fix anything – just to understand what it’s like to be them right now.

Ground yourself in simple things. I’ve been spending extra time with my ducks (they’re surprisingly good therapists), feeling the earth under my feet, remembering that beneath all this chaos, there’s still solid ground and open sky.

And here’s something beautiful to hold onto. The times when everything feels messy and divided usually comes right before big leaps forward in how we grow as humans. It’s like the caterpillar getting all goopy in its cocoon before becoming a butterfly. Not the most comfortable part of the process, but so necessary for transformation.

So while it might feel like we’re all split apart right now, the truth is, we’re still connected in ways we can barely imagine. Like stars that look separate in the night sky but are actually all part of the same magnificent cosmos.

Can we learn to disagree with love? To hold different views while still holding each other? I believe we can. I believe YOU can.

Whatever you’re feeling right now – the hope, the worry, the confusion, the determination – let it be there. This is how we grow. This is how we become more.

Holding you in my heart,

Jonni