By all accounts, I should be a Hillary supporter. I should be disappointed by Election 2016. I woke up not knowing the end result on Wednesday. I went to my computer and typed in cnn.com and there he was, all over the home page. It really happened. Wow.

• I’m a woman.
• I’m a mother. A mother to a little girl, whom I have big aspirations for. I want her to know she can be and accomplish anything she sets out to do, even become President if she desires.
• Many of my family members and friends were in favor of her.
• At another point in my life, I would have classified myself and a Democrat; I tend to vote in the Democratic favor.
• I’m a gun owner, but I don’t worry about that right will be taken from me. I also don’t mind the waiting period and process to obtain a firearm.
• I believe in a woman’s right–and a family’s right–to choose.

In good conscience, I could not support Trump. Funny thing, though, in good conscience, I could not support Hillary either. I had concerns on both sides–ethical, alignment, agenda, integrity, values. But what baffles me is the strong position some will take in the name of ‘their party’; holding such strong and eager ties to your party at any cost that one can be so blind to not see that both of these candidates were a joke and not the best we could have nominated.

Democrats are calling it unfair–after all, she won the popular vote; I’ve seen the petition! Sorry folks, that is not how our electoral system is designed and for good reason. Women are outraged at the sexist pig and his mail-order bride that will now occupy the White House, and ask themselves “how will I explain this to my daughter?”.

To be honest, I find it much easier to explain to my daughter how a rich and powerful man (despite all his flaws and lack of experience) took the office than I do explaining to her the lies, corruption and unethical behavior that Hillary [as a woman] would have had to succumb to in order to become our first Lady President.

Yes, I suppose I am somewhat of a hypocrite. I do hold women with higher expectations than I do men. My parents taught me that there are different expectations of men and women–right or wrong. It was tough to swallow growing up, being denied the privileges and flexibilities my brothers had. As an adult, and most certainly as a mother of a daughter, I find that double-standard appropriate, then and now. So, what will I tell my daughter? “Reach for the stars my girl, but do so with integrity, help others along the way, and always beam with kindness, genuineness and understanding.”

When it came time to cast my ballot on November 8, I couldn’t in good conscience choose one or the other. I couldn’t buy into the propaganda that there are only two choices and that I had to fall into one of those categories. I let my heart lead me and I wrote in “Bernie Sanders”.

Many would say I wasted my vote. A vote is not a waste. It is our American right and duty. To show up at the polls uninformed of your candidates and believing that you only have one of two options, that is the waste. How many of you who are upset with the results did not make the trip to the polls to cast your ballot?

When Bernie was campaigning, I was excited, almost giddy at what his potential nomination could mean for our country. Everyone said it was a pipe dream, even some of the strong supporters. I was really hoping for that pipe dream and firmly believe a Bernie nomination would have secured the vote for the Democratic Party for the Presidential seat. Bernie would have beat Trump, most definitely.

Bernie supporters did not automatically become Hillary supporters… for all the reasons we lifted Bernie, we could not settle to do the same for her. She was not our voice or our people. Bernie supporters did not jump behind him because he was a Democrat, we got behind him because he spoke the truth and was looking to hold individuals and businesses accountable. Because he was a normal guy, like the rest of us, who said things that needed to be said. Because he stood for something honest and was not your typical politician. That is why we wanted him. He stood for something, and that something looked like us!

(Democrats, you want to be upset about the ‘popular vote’ and demand Hillary be elected because that is what ‘the people’ want? Election fraud was committed, preventing Bernie from receiving the nomination. Corruption. Why aren’t you up in arms about that?)

Under Trump, I fear war and I am embarrassed that he is the face of our nation. But that is the extent of my concern (for the most part). Under Hillary, I had bigger fears. Her connections to Big Pharma and Wall Street would force too many hidden agendas. And regardless of her gender, I do not consider her to be a champion for women. Would I like to have a female President? Yes, one day. But not this one. She is not the female role model I want my daughter to emulate. My daughter deserves better. When that day comes, I want to swell with pride and hold her in high regard.

So Trump is President-elect. It baffles me that an unpolished individual such as him, a ‘reality show’ personality, can become President, but what this tells me is that America indeed does want some kind of change. It’s drastic and almost incomprehensible, but this is the choice our nation made, and I do believe it will bring change. And I do believe our nation’s majority spoke, the ones tired of the status-quo, not being heard, and career politicians.

Trump was not my choice, but ready-or-not, he’s our next President. I’m hopeful he’ll do what he said he would do (the good things) without further dividing our nation or sacrificing our safety. I came across this article this week, some of you may be surprised to see the priorities. I don’t know the accuracy and would not be surprised if priorities changed after taking office, but I can support these initiatives. I am also hopeful that his suspicion of vaccinations will get a bigger stage and the money train driving mandatory vaccinations for our children (and then for all of us) will be slowed (preferably derailed).

If you want change, be the change. Stop conducting yourself like sheep believing the rhetoric that mainstream media would have you swallow. Our country has some major issues; our political system is broke and highly corrupt. Supporting and electing those who are the cause and driving force does not create change. Real change requires us to stand up for the people, the environment, our children, our social systems. 

We do have a choice and a voice and it does not have to be red or blue. We are a diverse nation and our candidates and the results should reflect that. Start looking at yourself as part of the solution.

And if you are still distraught about his victory, remember at the end of the day, Trump is merely our commander-in-chief, the corruption within the House and Senate and big money still rules our ‘free world’.

“God has a plan bigger than the one I can see and I have to trust Him.”