Have you caught your breath yet?

I know this week's election knocked the wind right out of me.

You may still be reeling, or maybe you have already begun to resist. Or maybe you are reeling and resisting at the same time.

The first thing that I want to say to you is that you matter to me and I see you. You may be scared, despondent or angry, but you are not alone.

The second thing that I want to say to you is to take care of yourself. Self-care is not a luxury at a time like this. As Audre Lorde said,

“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation,
and that is an act of political warfare.”

So in the coming days, I encourage you to:

Get some sleep
Drink more water than usual
Love up the people you love
Unplug from the news for a little while- it will still be there when you get back
Charge your phone away from your bedside so that you do not look at it last thing, first thing, or in the middle of the night
Eat foods that nourish you
Connect with people OFF of Facebook (or whatever your social media hole is)
Call upon ancestors who walked before you as a source of strength
Take a walk in nature, without your phone
Talk about your feelings, your fears, and your plans with other human beings, in person
Find a way to nourish your spirit - in community, in silence, whatever will connect you to your soul

This is the list of self care strategies that I am working from - and wow is it hard to prioritize these things right now. But I feel we must try.

Thank you for all that you do. Your work is more important than ever.