An election like any other? It’s difficult not to feel so over the whole thing, what with the 24/7 coverage and speculation about what is going to happen tonight. But the images of Americans affected by Sandy lining up at dawn to vote gives us another picture of what Americans think about this election—that it matters. How can we make it feel meaningful? The stories below, from our website and from around the web today, deal in meaning: how our feelings affect our decisions, and how to stay focused.
A dose of mindfulness for election night: MindfulVOTES has a few ideas about how mindfulness can be integrated into the election. We take a look at what they’re offering this election night that you can get started in your own home.
The Place Beyond Hope and Fear: In difficult times it takes effort to stay grounded in the present, but it is only there, says Margaret Wheatley, that we will find a place unclouded by hope and fear.
Which Emotions Have the Most Impact on Voters? Pyschology Today looks at why negative emotions have the most influence when it comes to decision-making.
In Faces We Trust: over at the Greater Good Science Center, Anna Abramson looks at what it means for democracy that we attach ourselves most strongly to first impressions. Speaking with political strategists, she delves into how trust is established and what it means for the race tonight.