The new year brings lots of commitments, and I want to suggest to you that with all the violence happening that YOU should be at the top of your list. Not in an individualistic, selfish way, but in a way that honors Audre Lorde’s conceptualization of self care. I knew of her famous quote, but over break I read her collection of essays “Burst of Light” to get a deeper understanding. She said “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” So if there’s work to do in the world, or change you want to see, you care for yourself to be able to do that work. You care for yourself to be able to connect with others and move us towards a more humane and liberated world. 

Do you know your lane in liberation work?

Are you caring for yourself in a way that helps you show up stronger, longer, and more open to community?

If you answered “no” to either of these questions, I encourage you to reflect on your understanding of self-care compared to Lorde’s framing of caring for oneself as an act of political warfare. 

In this episode, I also share another book that I’m toying with creating a virtual book club around. It’s all about self-love. Interested? Let me know in the comments.