The Missing Aspect of Self-Care
My body reminds me that we are nearing the one year anniversary of working differently. Words like “remote,” “in-person,” and “you’re on mute” have taken on a new meaning for me. What I originally thought would be a few weeks of a pandemic has turned in eleven months of necessary quarantining, blurring of work-life, and an aching for social connections both familial and serependitious. Add the racial reckoning of the summer, fall and current winter months into this challenging year. From Breonna Taylor and George Floyd to Black@ Instagram accounts to the polarizing presidential election and aftermath to the anti-Asian racism and violence that has increase 1900% since the start of Covid-19 pandemic, we have the recipe for overworked, overwhelmed, and undervalued equity practitioners. My body reminds me.
During these eleven months, there has been a heightened push for self-care. Everywhere I turned there was a reminder to practice self-care, which is rightfully needed given the world around us. I chose running as my self-care because it was the only time during my days when the world felt still.
And I missed it.
Self-care requires community. I had to be in a space with others who valued my care and protected my time so that I can run. My wife and my son, for example, waited till I returned to ask that question or give me that hug or remind me that we needed groceries. Regardless, my self-care was dependent on them, my community. This learning was reinforced while participating in a healing circle with other colleagues of color when the facilitator mentioned that healing often takes place in community. So, let’s reconsider self-care as community care that impacts the self. And educators, find your community because our bodies, our mentals, our spirits need that care.
