Self care is radical

@selfcareisradical

There's a dangerous “psychology of deprivation” among too many feminist activists who, while doing largely unpaid work, slowly evolve into exhaustion and eventual burnout. It's hard to deny that this is part of what’s been holding the movement back from creating the real policy and structural change it needs. We think it's high time to reject the belief we've internalized that it's necessary to sacrifice our well-being in order to make change. Our hope is that by creating spaces for reflection, healing, and community-building, our stamina for the movement will be increased, and we’ll be healthier, happier activists. (And, you know, not be totally f*cking exhausted all the time.) This is a community Tumblr created by #femfuture where feminists can build, connect + lead for sustainability and care.

24 posts

"There is a pervasive form of modern violence to which the idealist...most easily succumbs: activism and over-work. The rush and pressure of modern life are a form, perhaps the most common form, of its innate violence.

To allow oneself to be carried away by a multitude of conflicting concerns, to surrender to too many demands, to commit oneself to too many projects, to want to help everyone in everything is to succumb to violence.

The frenzy of the activist neutralizes his (or her) work... It destroys the fruitfulness of his (or her)...work, because it kills the root of inner wisdom which makes work fruitful."

#selfcare activism femfuture

I have been reading about the importance of self-care all over the place lately, and I think my subconscious recognized my personal need to adopt a practice of self-care well before I was willing to acknowledge the degree to which my “self” requires it. I consistently preach to others the necessity of making time for self-care, and tell myself I will do the same “when I have time (wink)”.

"I wasn’t aware of the concept of self-care until I became a feminist blogger. This might be because I wasn’t aware of the need for self-care until I became a feminist blogger. But that need is real. It feels especially real this week, and this summer. It wasn’t immediately clear to me that self-care wasn’t self-indulgent, or selfish — aren’t we supposed to give everything we have to a cause we care about? — but I came around."

Lorde’s words compel us to consider that our selves matter, especially in a world where we were never meant to survive but where some of us do.

prima-anarchia-blog

There can be no revolution if we are not well on a personal level. Revolutions made by people who are not well tend to result ultimately in chaos, or worse, in the very patterns and systems of domination being challenged.

bell hooks (via prima-anarchia)

Our work is part of creating our next economy based on mutual aid, mutual accountability, and communities of resistance and care that do not dispose of anyone, do not leave anyone out, and do not fight one another for limited resources: communities that honor the personal as deeply political.

Our work is part of movement building that honors complexity and intentionally creates spaces to heal and bridge where we can and creatively renovate new solutions for the deep challenges we face in our world.

Our work is part of movement building that draws upon a multiplicity of healing and accountability strategies and tactics that creatively responds to our short-term needs and unravels dynamics that are generations old.

factsaboutfeminism

selfcareisradical

Truth.

nedafeedinghope

So, why is it so attractive to believe that all we have to do is change our minds, eat more kale, do more yoga and life will be grand? Why do we pay people to tell us so? In particular, since women far outnumber men as yoga practitioners, why do women want these messages?

becauseiamawoman-deactivated202

by Sasha

In my last post,”Burning Out: The Importance of Self-Care in Social Justice Work"the sporadically overwhelming nature of social justice work was discussed and related to reasons for maintaining an effective self-care routine.

Because spending time on yourself can feel like...

Self-care practices for organizations and individuals via CompassPoint NonProfit Services

#zines #selfcare

Colored Girls Hustle Hard Anthem

#artivism #creativity selfhelp

A personal story and primer on how to find the right therapist for you.

#therapy selfcare

A website & online community that helps young women living with chronic illnesses thrive.

#chronic illness

Find accessible community acupuncture in your city or town

People's Organization of Community Acupuncture https://www.pocacoop.com/

Self care is radical @selfcareisradical - Tumblr Blog | Tumgag