As the latest election season wraps up, I am reflecting on the book 4,000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. This book challenges us to think about time, meaning, and purpose from a new perspective.
Here’s the gist: in the grand scheme of life, we each have about 4,000 weeks to find fulfillment.
Too often we get swept up in the current of events and spend our limited energy on things that, ultimately, don’t bring us closer to what we value most. When I apply this to how people invest emotional energy in elections, it begs the question—are we choosing our focus wisely?
Living in DC it’s easy to see how people become deeply, even painfully, entrenched in political outcomes. Don’t get me wrong—civic engagement matters. But so does our mental and emotional health, and I see daily how chronic immersion in the latest drama can lead to overwhelming stress, anxiety, and resentment.
We feel like we’re carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders, but here’s the thing: that weight often reflects our choices, our mental habits, and our focus, not some political burden.
As an integrative psychiatric nurse practitioner, I work with patients to help them see that suffering is an inevitable part of life, but we have the power to choose how we respond to it.
This perspective is grounded in acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), which is about embracing discomfort without letting it define us.
Accepting what we cannot change and committing to actions that align with our values means acknowledging that while politics and societal issues are significant, they don’t have to consume us. Real growth and fulfillment means managing how we experience the world around us, not trying to control it.
One of my favorite books, Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning, beautifully illustrates this. Frankl was a Holocaust survivor. He reminds us that suffering is a universal constant, but we have the freedom to choose our response to it. He argues that our deepest fulfillment comes from finding meaning in discomfort, not from trying to avoid it.
Frankl’s message is blunt: no one is spared from suffering, but those who assign purpose to their lives—who seek meaning beyond immediate circumstances—are often the ones who find true resilience and peace.
In my practice, I encounter patients who feel trapped in a cycle of resentment, worry, or frustration over politics. Much of this suffering is a result of where we direct our attention. Political outcomes may have influence, but they don’t have to dictate our personal growth, our relationships, or our happiness. Realizing this is liberating.
There’s also an inherent problem with viewing politics through a binary lens—one side good, the other side wrong. But the truth is that people and ideas are complex. We’re all navigating life with different experiences, perspectives, and values.
Embracing this complexity is enriching. It’s entirely possible to love someone who voted differently; doing so is an essential part of healthy relationships. If we let politics dominate our identities, we risk alienating others, limiting our perspective, and closing ourselves off from meaningful connections.
To make the world a better place, the question then becomes: What’s the most meaningful use of my time and energy? Voting and advocating for our values aside, it’s more beneficial to focus on the things we can actually control.
Look for small, direct ways we impact the lives of others, whether through our work, personal relationships, or simple acts of kindness.
In integrative psychiatry, we encourage a holistic approach that recognizes that mental health doesn’t exist in isolation. Mental and emotional well-being are influenced by our environment, social circles, our physical health, and personal choices.
I know some might say, “But how can I accept when [insert issue] is happening, or [insert group] is suffering or losing rights?” That’s a valid question. Remember, there’s a limit to what each of us can control. When we focus solely on societal problems, we risk overlooking our own well-being, which limits our capacity to help anyone else. Please put on your mask first before assisting others.
Meaningful change starts locally in our immediate lives and communities and expands outward. Being consumed by frustration or bitterness serves no one.
This isn’t to say we should withdraw from political life. It’s about engaging without letting politics consume our identities or define our happiness. If we truly want to make a difference, we need the resilience that comes from finding meaning and fulfillment beyond our political beliefs.
So, how do we start? Here are some actions grounded that can guide us toward a more balanced life:
Practice Acceptance: Life will always have stressors and suffering, and politics will never be perfect. Acceptance doesn’t mean resignation; it means acknowledging what we can’t control and focusing on what we can. This is foundational in ACT, where accepting reality is the first step toward meaningful change.
Re-evaluate Your Relationships: It’s healthy and really important to connect with people who have different opinions. Political differences are not barriers, they are opportunities. Loving others despite disagreements helps you and your community
Redirect Your Focus: Just because the world demands your attention doesn’t mean you have to give it. Turn some of that focus inward, and consider the things that bring you personal fulfillment. We cannot end suffering in our lives, but we can reduce it by directing our attention in meaningful places.
Engage in Purposeful Activities: Investing in relationships, creative projects, or physical and mental health will always yield more lasting benefits than getting caught up in the latest political crisis.
Remember the Bigger Picture: “History” is short when viewed through the lens of the universe. Political events may seem all-encompassing in the moment, but in the larger context, they’re often less transformative than we believe. Allowing this perspective to guide us can help put things into proportion.
Let’s choose to live with purpose, engage with compassion, and focus on what truly brings value to our short time on this earth.
So, yes, vote, engage, and advocate—but don’t lose yourself in the process. Real fulfillment comes from acceptance and investing in the things that bring joy, meaning, connection, and peace.
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