Worried about post-election political violence? You have more power than you think.

Voter turnout was on track to be historic as Americans made their way to the polls Tuesday. Amid the flurry of voter activity ran an undercurrent of anxiety, as many Americans feared not just the outcomes but also the potential for violent outbreaks among citizens, regardless of the winner.

Already, we had seen the reports of mail-in voting boxes set ablaze, stoking a sense that, whatever the outcome of this election, America’s deep divisions could crack completely following Election Day.

Although we should not downplay such concerns, we should also check our post-election anxiety — fed by social media and hyper-partisan politics — against reality. This is not a hopeless or inevitable situation. All citizens have the power to avoid violence by ensuring our fears do not become a self-fulfilling prophecy. It’s up to us to recognize the distorted and biased narratives infiltrating our news feeds, and to remain steadfast in our commitment to treating our fellow Americans with respect, regardless of their political beliefs.

When it comes to the likelihood of political violence, our emotional fears overplay the reality. While some studies making news headlines predict that Americans’ support for violence is nearly as high as 30-40 percent, experts who have been studying trends in America’s polarization say this is greatly overstated. Sean Westwood, director of the Polarization Research Lab says support for violence in America is actually very low — around 3 percent. When it comes to the percentage of Americans who themselves are willing to partake in political violence, the numbers are even lower.

Our tendency to exaggerate fears of political violence can cause us to fall into a reinforcing cycle of fear and anger, which may actually increase the likelihood of violent incidents. It also sends a signal to extremist actors that support for violence is broader than it actually is, making extremist players more likely to act. By recognizing that a majority of Americans want to avoid violence, we can put any violent scenarios led by a small group into context (remember — even hundreds of people make up a miniscule portion of our country’s population) and manage our political anxiety.

When violence does occur, we can curb the ripple effect of hate by withholding from blaming the actions of the few on an entire political party. The reality is that political violence happens across both major parties.

Further, stereotyping an entire group of people based on the actions of a small group provokes the outrage and “us vs. them” thinking that drives Americans further apart. Instead, we should focus on condemning the acts of violence and responsible individuals themselves, without extrapolating to an entire party. And we need to have the courage to do this even when violent acts are carried out by people within our own political parties.

While violence is one cause for concern, the greater threat in the days and weeks to come is likely our exposure to distorted and biased narratives proliferated by social media. We must remember that algorithms tend to feed us a distorted view of a small, but vocal group of extremist thinkers who are focused on sowing division, not solving problems.

Having come up through the social media industry, I know well how these formulas prioritize sensationalism over substance and value, and how they divide us into echo chambers that shield us from alternative viewpoints. To counteract this, we need to conduct our own balanced research, maintain a healthy level of skepticism about everything we read, and commit to thinking critically and independently.

Most importantly, we must be able to turn the mirror on ourselves and how we behave and respond. Even when we vehemently disagree, we must remind ourselves that people are more than their political beliefs. We must show up with curiosity to explore diverse viewpoints we may not agree with, compassion for those who are different from us, and the courage to solve problems alongside our neighbors.

Despite our political differences, an overwhelming majority of Americans are tired of our divisive political rhetoric and ready to solve problems together. If we collectively recognize the realities that live hidden behind the toxic media fire and actions of a few extremists, we have the power to chart a more constructive path forward.

Tom Fishman is the CEO of Builders, a nonpartisan nonprofit equipping citizens to overcome toxic polarization and solve our toughest problems. He formerly served as a former senior vice president of MTV Digital, as product strategist at Facebook, and as general manager of Eko.