How to respond to 'Who did you vote for?' when you just don't want to talk about it: 'Be direct, be clear, be authentic'

It's likely that anyone you talk to this week will want to discuss the election.

And while socializing and staying busy can alleviate some stress during this process , being in contact with certain friends or family can have the opposite effect, says Vanessa Kennedy, the director of psychology at Driftwood Recovery, a rehabilitation center in Austin, Texas.

"We all know people who may add to our anxiety as opposed to calming us in the face of uncertainty," she says.

If you want to avoid talking about who you voted for, or the election altogether, it's best to prepare some responses now should you encounter questions you don't want to answer.

There are a few communication strategies that politely steer the conversation away from voting, says Matt Abrahams, a Stanford University lecturer and communications expert.

"Don't hem and haw," he says. "Be direct, be clear, be authentic."

Here are four ways to answer the questions "Who did you vote for?" without actually answering it:

Whatever you choose, be sure it feels natural to you. Abrahams uses the "explain" method.

"I never encourage you to be disingenuous," he says. "For me, I don't want to talk about it because I'm super emotional. So I explain that's how I'm feeling."

And if, for example, a reframe doesn't work, move on to a tactic you think will be more respected.

Want to make extra money outside of your day job? 's online course How to Earn Passive Income Online to learn about common passive income streams, tips to get started and real-life success stories.