I hope you're doing well. Today I decided I wanted to encourage you to take care of you. Recently, you may be aware of all that has been happening in the world, much of it has not been the best news. From Tyre Nichols getting beaten to death to the horrible earthquake in Turkey, to more recently the dismemberment of Rasheem Carter, things in the world are not looking great. While noticing these things, you may have also noticed that I no longer highlight certain things taking place in the news, especially the recent and repetitive traumas experienced within my community, the Black community. The reason for this is because I have to really be conscious of taking care of me during these times, and today I want to encourage you to do the same. 

 

I actually didn’t know about Rasheem Carter until my Auntie told me about it, because I literally don’t watch the news or read news stories anymore. You may think this is odd, but it is actually my first point in how you can take care of you, let me explain why. . .

 

 

As a mom of two young BLACK children, the wife of a BLACK man, the family member to BLACK relatives, and the friend to BLACK friends, I can no longer take this stuff into my psyche. It is literally everywhere! As a Black woman I am already hypervigilant to the fact that at any moment the color of my skin, or my loved one’s skin, can lead to an untimely death. So as a way to take care of myself, I have disconnected from the news, and have done so for quite some time now. There is no sense in me raising my anxieties even more by feeding into what the media continues to show society about the devaluing of Black bodies. And there is no need for me increasing my hypervigilance by taking in yet another tragedy of a mass shooting or death by suicide. I just cannot be on that intense level of an emotional journey anymore.

 

I encourage you to do the same. To really think about what level of emotional exertion you are taking on by taking in these news stories. If you find that the news makes you anxious, TURN IT OFF! If you find the stories that pop up in your feed making you anxious, DON’T READ THEM! If you find that conversations about injustices make you anxious, change the topic or name that you don’t want to talk about that. It is okay to not be plugged into trauma 24/7. Believe me if something horrible happens in the world you will find out, and it won’t be because you are scrolling or watching the news.

 

 

It is so easy for us to do the same old thing, day in and day out. We get up, we do our regular routine for the day, we come home, we eat dinner, and then we do it all over again. How much of that is EXACTLY THE SAME day after day after DAY? It makes a huge difference when you do something different. Change helps your brain to recalibrate so to speak, allowing it to not just be on autopilot, which is a good thing. Change can sort of shake things up and make life exciting again.

 

So think about a way you can change things up in your life. If you take a certain exit home after work, try getting off one exit early and drive through town the rest of the way. If you take public transportation, maybe walk home a different way. When you go for a walk or engage in some exercise, change up the playlist that you listen to. Whatever you do, try to think of different ways that you can change your scenery, it’s a great way to take care of yourself and spark some excitement.

 

 

There are so many points I could share, but to keep this newsletter short this will be the last one. A great way to take care of you is to listen to some music. And I mean LISTEN. Turn it up, let it play, and let your soul (and body) dance to the beat!!! Music is a part of our lives in my family. From the car to the house and back to the car, music is 9 times out of 10 always playing. We have an eclectic palette of music within my home. We listen to everything ranging from gospel music to Disney to Rap (edited of course) to R&B. And guess what? Because music is so engrained within the Harris Family, when our toddler or 4 year old is having a moment, music almost always changes the mood for the better. When I’m having a moment, music always changes my mood for the better.

 

Music is healing and freeing, so allow yourself to fully submerge into the lyrics and beats that move you. It is the best way to take care of yourself because it is releasing, it is cathartic. So go ahead, dance and sing your way into some good old self care. Until April, make sure you do something that will help you Bloom Into Your Best Self. . .