protect yourself from the inside out
Do you have "more fear than you know what to do with?" This was how a client described her experience this week of watching the news and U.S. presidential election unfolding...feeling the visceral danger and attacks on her very existence.
Fear. Anger. Bitterness. Irritation. Frustration. Sadness.
A range of emotions, natural and valid responses, surface as you witness and experience the suffering, injustice, and pain associated with the consistent efforts to undermine universal human rights, social justice progress, and compassion for the diverse expression of human identities.
I saw one recent report that the most common emotion respondents were feeling in anticipation of this year's presidential election is dread.
Dread.
Maybe you can relate.
What emotions and visceral responses surface in you as you witness the attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion pervading local, state, national, and international headlines...
Examples ranging from:
Removing inclusive books from libraries to shutting down libraries entirely...
Taking over one of the largest public school districts in the U.S…
Undermining and blocking funding focused on aiding minority owned businesses…?
It's almost unavoidable that staying informed dysregulates your nervous system on a regular basis. And the months ahead aren’t forecasted to become any easier as we recognize the many financial, social, and political influences determined to undermine progress.
Given these ongoing, pervasive, and stomach-churning challenges, it's more essential than ever to find your sources of support, joy, encouragement, hope, and freedom. You need this so you can lead a full, healthy, vibrant life. And, you need this so you can continue to show up in ways that create positive impact in the people and decision-makers around you without sacrificing your own wellbeing in the process.
How can you protect yourself from the inside out as you move forward in the conversations, news consumption, and emotional toil of actively promoting social and racial justice?
As you face the very raw, visceral, and valid emotions and concerns, how do you ensure that this emotional energy gets channeled into rocket fuel rather than an atom bomb - that you can empower these energies to reach new heights rather than wreak destruction?
What do you need to dismantle the voice of the overseer or plantation owner (perhaps including the version which is internalized in your own internal dialogue), driving you to collapse...demanding that what you've accomplished is never enough and that rest or recovery is never earned?
To keep making progress, you not only need, but deserve to guild your wellbeing - all that makes you uniquely you - all that equips you to show up full of vitality, energy, passion, and purpose.
To face the fears and frustrations in the world around you, you need to access and uplift your unconditional sense of worth, love, and possibility in a way that transcends the storms.
It is not from a place of fear that you can have your best impact. It is from the wholeness of you.
As Audre Lorde says, "Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare."
You matter. You make a difference. I'm so thankful you're here.
