Responsible Self-Care

The last few months have been a time of tremendous accountability and action. As a nation, we are on a journey of racial justice that requires our long-term commitment to show up and do the work. But showing up and doing the work can be exhausting. We all have a limited capacity for activism, and we must figure out what our capacity is and how to replenish it through responsible self-care.

Self-care looks different for each person. It might involve:

• physical activities, like going for a walk or exercising

• spending time with pets or nature, like watching a sunrise

• humor and lightheartedness, like comedy shows or silly cat videos

• physical pampering, like bubble baths or sleeping in

• positive self-talk, like telling yourself, “I am doing the best I can.”

• and more.

Responsible self-care means taking breaks when needed but not giving up or permanently tuning out. Responsible self-care also involves acknowledging that not everyone has the ability to step back in the same ways. For example, white people who are not directly affected by racism can step away from it for awhile and choose when to engage with it and combat it. Being able to choose when and how to engage with racism is not inherently bad, but it is something not everyone can choose, and that’s important to acknowledge.

Responsible self-care is a set of skills we learn and must continually practice. It means asking the hard questions of when to step out and step in, how we should regroup and recharge, and what we want our involvement to look like in the journey of racial justice.