If you are impacted by the current political upheaval—you are not alone. There is an immense amount of uncertainty and angst for almost every minority group. There is a powerful pull for mobilization, so much that it can feel overwhelming and lead to paralysis or burn out.
So let’s talk about how to balance taking care of yourself while getting involved in causes you care about:
- Choose one primary cause to focus your energy on:
This one is especially tough for me, since my heart aches for many issues that need dedicated time and support. At the same time, I am also aware that spreading oneself too thin does not do anyone any good, and ends up making us less effective and more burnt out. Part of self-care is knowing your limits. Therefore, allow yourself some time to reflect on one primary cause on which you would like to focus; one that especially resonates with your values, with your career or mission, or with a group for which you identify with as a member or as an ally.
2. Pick one political action to do per week
Sure, you may able to do more. But start here: dedicate one section of time per week to take action, whether you’re calling senators about how to vote, going to a protest, or anything else that is devoted to your goal of political action. If you feel like you’re up to more—great! If not, know that you still did your part and let yourself feel good about that, instead of feeling guilty for not doing more.
3. Pick one self care activity to do per week
Self-care can be as extravagant or modest as you need it to be. Lately, there has been some talk about the connection between privilege and self-care. And while I agree that privilege can make it easier to take care of yourself because of access to resources, I think there are ways to do so regardless of your status. The more costly self-care activities are easy to think of (spa day, yoga classes, etc.), but there are plenty of affordable or cost-free ways to self-care. Here are five ideas that I mentioned in a recent Instagram post:
- Taking 5 minutes alone in silence with your eyes closed.
- Talking to yourself in a gentle voice.
- Saying no to doing something you don’t want to do.
- Venting to someone you love.
- Getting a good night’s sleep.
So what do the readers think? Any other ideas to add? Questions about how to balance taking care of yourself and others? Comment below or let me know @drdeanie on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Here at WILA, our team of therapists is devoted to a socially-conscious psychotherapy practice, where individuals from all walks of life and love can feel safe and fully heard. WILA is dedicated to inspire action through example, by consistent creation of space for uncomfortable conversations and by its inclusiveness of the experiences of all the Angelenos that it serves.
This blog originally appeared here as a guest blog post for Dr. Brooke Stemm.
