“So often it’s easy to sacrifice ourselves and self-care when working in service positions and community work, which is not sustainable. We need to be good role models. If we ask other people to do something such as take care of themselves, we need to be doing it ourselves as well. The difference between burnout and thriving, especially in activism, community work, and service professions, is self-care.”
–Margaret Brugger, WellPower Therapist
Activism and self-care go hand-in-hand with making progress without burning out. The past year has seen a huge push in women’s movements towards equality, agency and advocacy. In the hard work of activism, finding time and the means for self-care can be difficult. Activism requires energy, emotions, work and extensive time, which can all take their toll on stress levels and mental health.
There are many forms of self-care, some of which you may have tried before. In honor of the International Women’s Day theme this year, Press for Progress, we’re focusing on quick tips for mindfulness that will help you find balance in your activism and self-care.
Deep Breathing
There are proven benefits to taking a few quiet minutes to close your eyes and focus on your breathing. According to a WellPower Therapist, Margaret Brugger, LCSW, deep breathing sends a message to your brain that it’s okay to calm down. Deep breathing helps our bodies relax, our heart rates to slow down and our thoughts to quiet.
Whether you are an experienced activist or just beginning to participate in women’s activism, knowing how to pause for a few minutes to breathe can help you maintain your emotional balance and well-being.
Gratitude
When you’re fighting for your rights, finding things to be grateful for can be hard. Because of that, practicing gratitude is critical for activism and self-care. Take a couple minutes to say or write out a few things that you’re grateful for — it may be your family, your friends, your home or even that you woke up that morning.
Practicing gratitude helps to re-frame your thinking if you find yourself bogged down by negative emotions associated with activism.
Recognize Your Feelings
Activism can bring out strong emotions. You may feel anger, frustration, sadness and despair. You may also feel triumph, excitement, happiness and pride. Part of practicing self-care is taking the time to recognize those feelings actively. Say to yourself, “I feel ______ because _______.” For example, “I feel excited because a bill protecting women’s healthcare passed in Congress.”
Recognition of your feelings allows you to check-in with yourself and learn the reasons behind your emotions. When you understand what makes you feel good or poor in activism, you are better able to remove yourself from situations that may be too much to handle at that moment, resulting in you feeling more balanced. The balance in your mental health and wellness will help you keep pushing in your activism without burning out.
Though these tips may seem simple, with daily practice they can become the tool that keeps you healthy in your activism. They will help you to understand what your limits are and how you can continue to stand up for women’s rights, while maintaining the balance of your mental health and wellness.
For Margaret Brugger’s full article titled, “Self Actualizing Self Care,” please click here.