Summer 2020 started with the death of Ahmaud Arbery, followed by the murder of Breonna Taylor, and then the killing of George Floyd. As summer nears its end, we are now faced with the shooting of Jacob Blake – a culmination of anger, rage, grief, and sadness. But this tragedy can also fuel change, to center conversations that were previously taboo, and allow us to love ourselves unapologetically with intentionality.
This summer has been anything but ideal. It has not been comfortable and at times, seemingly unbearable. But until justice prevails, we must continue to show up, to advocate, to march and speak truth to power. We are not helpless, and we possess the power to mobilize and demand better.
While consuming media and putting our bodies on the frontlines, we must also make sure to nurture ourselves. This will be a long fight and our bodies, minds and spirits must be able to sustain the movement. The battles that we are facing are both complex and grueling; we can’t fight them on a short fuse or we risk burnout.
Take time to care for yourself and make sure to check that you are really ok. Ask yourself: Have I intentionally taken time out of my day to just breathe? Did I eat today? If so, what? If not, why? How well did I sleep last night? What has been keeping me up at night? How do I feel right now? Try to trace those feelings back.
Self-care is different for everyone. But the one thing that remains true for each one of us is that we must be intentional about the time that we set aside to care for ourselves.
Question: What do you do for self-care? Let us know on Facebook!
Contributor: Nayher Futsum, Communications Intern; La’Shante Grigsby, Youth Programs Manager