Running an organization that prioritizes self-care requires a lot. It means walking the walk, talking the talk, and not just posting how others should take care of themselves, but modeling our values in our own actions. Now if I’m being real, to be a mother, a wife, an entrepreneur, and an educator all in one is hard for one person to carry. Some days I don’t want to, Netflix binging calls my name more than I care to admit, but when I lean into my self-care practices I’m able to show up for my family, community, and friends in such a better way. Recently I got to indulge in some self-care that was crucial to my growth, and I want to tell you about it.
As a black woman entrepreneur on a limited budget, I have to be strategic about things. That means looking for grants, being innovative about products we develop, and looking for additional streams of revenue we can make as a business. I’m a part of a phenomenal fellowship group that gives a significant stipend for self-care. I planned a staycation for myself, feeling guilty about it and what that would mean for my husband and son, but I had to understand that self-care meant actually taking care of myself.
I leaned into daily self-care practices like lighting a candle, writing down what went well every day and meditating. I also did extreme practices like staying in a hotel for a couple of days by myself to recharge. What did I do? A whole lot of solo self-care. I got a pedicure and my nails did and spoiled myself by adding on all the extras. I read, watched TV, took long showers, read some more, and worked out all things that make me happy. A year ago I had no idea that there were organizations that would selflessly pour into a black woman entrepreneur like me. By way of God, research, and alignment I found the perfect program that not only helped me to be a better entrepreneur but also put money into my pockets to specifically take care of me. Not surprisingly, black women entrepreneurs often fail to do so, often caring for everyone else at the expense of their physical, mental, and emotional health.
This is why my Co-Founder, Kimberlie Milton, Eva Jean-Charles of BlackonBlackEducation, and I hosted a live Critical Self Care in a Pandemic Webinar. We’re offering the replay to share with anyone who’s been feeling down, tired, depleted, and lacks the tools to rebuild. With this replay, you get an interactive handout for the session, a Critical Self-Care Assessment, a Thriving Checklist and a Trigger Tracker. All the tools you need to set you up for success!
Thank you to Claudine Miles from RestoreMore for writing this post which was featured in #slowchathealth’s #microblogmonth event. You can search for all of the featured posts here.
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Pair this post with the following:
Three Tips for Self-Care as an Educator by Pran Patel
#slowchathealth 
Thank you so much for sharing our work to help folks better take care of themselves. Happy mental health awareness month as well!
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