Sunday July 24th was Self-Care Day. Did you take some time to take care of yourself? Did you even know it was Self-Care day?
The truth is, I bristle at the notion of self-care these days. I’ve got enough on my plate and now I have to think about how to take care of myself too? Our recent Organizer Survey confirmed just how burnt out our movement really is—this was the #1 challenge that organizers are facing. These results speak to deeper issues within our work, its sustainability, and where we are headed as the world seems to be crumbling around us.
Self-care is a band-aid to larger problems that our movement must deeply address. If our ultimate goal is to better the lives of people of color and other marginalized folks AND our organizations, more and more, are made up of those folks—we have to ask ourselves, what are we doing to better the lives of our fellow movement folks?
This also doesn’t mean that we can’t do some self-care too. Personally, over the last month, I’ve been focusing on stillness. As someone who has been in movement work for quite some time, I’m realizing how reactionary I can be. Something happens—I immediately react. And something is always happening.
So instead, I’ve been taking an intentional pause to practice being still. What I’ve discovered is when I’m still, I can hear myself more clearly. My body tells me what it needs. My innate knowing comes through. I find the answers and then I know how to move. I hope you’re able to practice whatever self-care that allows you to move forward with intention and powers.
- Karundi
