These are heavy days, and you are not alone. For BIPOC, QTIBIPOC, and LGBTQ+ communities, the weight of political turmoil often cuts deeper—an echo of histories carried, freedoms fought for, and identities questioned. It’s no wonder that during moments like this, exhaustion seeps into your spirit. But this is your reminder that your rest, your safety, and your joy are acts of resistance too.

Offering an encouraging space to take this time to ground ourselves, to hold space for each other, and to remember that resilience isn’t about enduring nonstop. It’s about finding ways to endure together, to protect your light in a world that sometimes feels determined to dim it. You don’t have to carry all of this at once. You’re allowed to pause, reflect, and tend to your heart.

Here are some ways to care for yourself in these moments.

1. Set Boundaries with the News

The flood of headlines can make it feel like you have to stay plugged in 24/7, but you don’t. Curating when and how you consume news is not avoidance—it’s protection. Try setting specific times to check updates and limit your exposure to media that feels overwhelming. Let yourself breathe between the chaos.

2. Create Your Sanctuary

Find a space—whether it’s a room, a corner, or even a playlist—where you feel safe. Fill it with things that remind you of who you are outside of what’s happening. Maybe it’s ancestral art, a queer anthem, or just a soft blanket that holds you as you breathe.

3. Lean on Your Community

You don’t have to navigate these moments in isolation. Whether it’s family, friends, or chosen family, lean into spaces where you can be heard, held, and understood. Sharing your feelings with people who “get it” can lighten the load, even if just a little.

4. Let Yourself Feel It All

Grief, anger, hope, fear—it’s all VALID. You’re allowed to feel everything without needing to fix it right away. Journaling, speaking your truths aloud, or even crying are ways to honor your emotions without judgment.

5. Reclaim Joy

It might feel counterintuitive, but joy is still YOURS to claim. Watch a movie that makes you laugh until your sides hurt. Dance in your living room to music that moves you. Cook a meal that tastes like home. Joy is a rebellion in times that try to steal it.

6. Find Healing in Movement

If it feels good to your body, stretch, walk, or flow through yoga. Movement can help release tension held deep within, reminding you that your body deserves care even in difficult times.

7. Remind Yourself of Your Power

Whether it’s through affirmations, remembering the trailblazers who came before you, or reflecting on all you’ve already overcome, know that you are powerful. The world might test you, but it cannot erase your worth.

An Exercise to Decompress: The Safety Circle

      1.   Find a Quiet Space: Sit somewhere you feel comfortable. Close your eyes if that feels safe.

      2.   Visualize Your Circle: Imagine a circle surrounding you. In this circle are only things that bring you safety—colors, people, symbols, words, or places that remind you of comfort.

      3.   Breathe it In: Take five deep breaths, imagining that safety wrapping around you with every inhale.

      4.   Name Three Anchors: Identify three things in your life that feel grounding and steady right now. Say them out loud if you can.

      5.   Release: As you exhale, let go of any weight you’re carrying. Let it drift outside your circle.

When you’re ready, open your eyes. Your circle is always there, ready to hold you whenever you need it.

These times are hard, but so are you. And yet, you don’t always have to be strong. Your vulnerability, your need for rest, your moments of joy, and your connection to others—they are all sacred. Hold yourself gently. This moment will not last forever, but the care you give yourself now will carry you through.

Live “Joi” Fulfilled! Big hugs-Joi M.