We are living in very difficult times. Times that will leave us angry, distressed, hurt, frustrated, depleted, and so much more. In the midst of all of this, it is important that at some point we take a step back and practice self-care. Our mental state is important!

Last week was an incredibly tough week. I’ve literally gone through a slew of emotions, as many other black people across the country. On top of everything else going on in our lives. I knew for me, practicing some form of self-care was important. So on Friday night, I turned my phone off. Completely. Something I have never done for such an extended period of time. I turned off my phone and allowed myself to feel. I allowed myself to acknowledge my feelings, and sit in complete silence. I then slept with my phone off. And that evening, I slept longer than I had the entire week. I didn’t turn my phone on until about two hours after I really woke up. But it was needed. A time to unplug and disconnect from social media and everyone having access to me. I’m telling you, this is important. Especially during these times. We need it. It’s totally ok to practice self-care, take a break, and still stay conscious of what is going on around us.

Because it was something I knew was necessary for me, This afternoon for my meeting at work, it’s something I raised to the team. I asked with everything going on around us, what is one way you practiced self-care this weekend. It was important to ask because, as everyone shares, you never know what you can adopt from others and what they can adopt from them. So I’ve collected some of the responses and also found some self-care tips for black people during this time. Let me just throw this in now, one very important way to practice self-care is to engage in community. A community of love and support. Love and support are most definitely what we need. LMJ is also a community. This is something we strive to be. These pieces that are written are for you. A community. Our community. We are here. We stand with our brothers and sisters. And we love and support you. We are in this together!!

Below you’ll find a list of Self-Care tips curated from my coworkers and @blackfemaletherapist.

  • Disconnect/unplug
  • Take a walk or a run (alone or with others)
  • Sleep
  • Paint/draw
  • Exercise
  • Picnic
  • Movie nights with friends
  • Backyard chat with family and friends
  • Read
  • Rest
  • Relax

Self Care Tips for Black People During This Time: A Black Female Therapist

  • If overwhelmed by social media and news coverage, set aside time to log out and change the channel. Stay connected if you want, but set boundaries around how much you consume.
  • Lean on support from your community, connect to other black people. Friends, family, colleagues.
  • Make sure you are taking care of your basic needs. Did you eat? Drink water? How much sleep have you gotten over the past few days? Try to maintain your normal habits.
  • Stay connected to your feelings. It’s ok to be angry, disappointed, grieving. However you feel is valid.
  • Take a break after tiring exchanged with people online. Engaging back and forth with racists or people who become aggressive/defensive when we share our experiences, can trigger many negative feelings. Take a moment.
  • Don’t feel and for blocking, muting, unfollowing or unfriending.
  • Find ways to continue to celebrate our blackness. Watch your favorites how or movie, listen to your favorite musician, follow dope art pages, laugh at memes.

Be sure to set a few of these tips in motion. Your mental health and state of mind are important. Especially during these times. Much love and support! Remember, we are in this together.

~xo Miss Jones

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