With the new year on the horizon, there is no better time to refresh, reboot and re-energize yourself.
Test out these self-care strategies and find what works for you.
Seek Out Affordable Therapy
Finding the right therapist at an affordable price can be overwhelming, especially if you are already struggling with something as motivation-draining as depression. However, there are resources to help.
The Loveland Foundation offers a therapy fund for Black women and girls to find culturally competent therapy. The fund covers the first 4 to 12 therapy sessions. Applications are available on their website.
Therapy for Black Girls and Therapy for Black Men provide a wealth of vetted therapists for patients to connect with and start on their mental health journey.
Try Mindfulness
While you may find it difficult to stay focused on your breathing when you first begin meditating, don’t be discouraged. By meditating regularly with an app, distracting thoughts and worries will wash away.
Liberate Meditation, a subscription-based daily meditation app, hosts a library of over 240 meditation sessions made specifically for BIPOC. The app, available on Google Play and App Store, provides healing resources on a variety of topics from micro-aggressions to internalized racism.
Keep a Routine
Maintaining a routine, especially during a pandemic, is a daunting task.
Yet even something as simple as maintaining a beauty or skin routine can be calming, according to psychologist Ayanna Abrams.
“There’s something that feels really important about us being able to have a routine because it can give us a sense of stability, control and security,” said Abrams in an interview with Essence. “There’s something that’s predictable about having a routine when we wake up in the morning, before we’re going to bed, that can actually really soothe our systems.”
Eat Right
Changing your diet is a classic New Year’s resolution, but old habits can be hard to shake.
Personal trainer and 30-year vegan Kirk Charles suggests plant-based eating for holistic health benefits. Charles says some benefits kick in within three to five days, including constipation relief, clearer skin and weight loss.
Change your Social Media Habits
From hateful feuds on Twitter to misinformation on Facebook, social media apps are known to be toxic.
Though limiting time on social media can be a great way to avoid potential distress, you may be left feeling out of the loop. Alternative platforms like The Cookout App aim to maintain the feeling of connectedness online while cutting out the toxicity.
The invitation-only social media platform, founded by three Black queer women, cultivates a safe space for Black users to find a healthy community online.
