Whether you’re a caretaker, teacher, medical staff, entrepreneur, or barista - these past two years have been taxing on all of us. Life isn’t meant to be lived in isolation; we are quite literally wired for connection.
Self-care has become a buzz-word that emphasizes luxurious spa days + a “treat yo self” attitude. But true self-care goes beyond mani/ pedis + some extra time in the bath.
Taking care of yourself is a necessity these days.
Prioritizing your mental health over productivity.
Honoring your body’s need for rest rather than pushing through one more workout.
Setting boundaries around work to create a better work/ life balance.
Yet, no matter how tremendous your self-care routines are, have you considered your community care? Who holds space for you when you need it? Do you *feel* that sense of community that can support + help take care of you as well?
In the West, we are determined to lean into the lone-wolf archetype - fiercely independent + staunchly opposed to help from others. But does that really serve us?
For most of us, the pandemic really stripped away our connections to community. And unless you were basking in your lone-wolf solitude, your community care has likely been lacking.
So I’ll leave you with these questions to reflect / journal on:
- What is my self-care like right now? Does it need a little re-evaluation? Am I doing things to truly take care of my self?
- Am I blocking my own ability to connect with others in meaningful + vulnerable ways?
- Has my idea of community shifted since 2020? Do I even want to reconnect with my previous forms of community?
- In what ways can I reconnect with community + allow for their support?