Practicing Radical Self Care All 2020
Today is June 10th, 2020. It’s been exactly 2 months since I was laid off as the COVID-19 pandemic was in full swing. No stranger to turmoil, this still shook me to my core. I had no idea how to be laid off, how to navigate it or how to even talk about it. As self doubt set in and my confidence plummeted, I knew I had some internal work to do in order to approach a job search and survive an almost nationwide stay at home order. Here’s a list of all the ways I’ve been practicing radical self care in the middle of this global pandemic and a layoff:
1. Reimagining My Apartment
This is honestly the most inconvenient thing to be passionate about when your source of income was snatched out of your hands. Since we all had to be at home though, I’ve never cared more about carving out a space that inspires my creativity and one that brings me peace. I didn’t want to just live here, I wanted to be happy here.
That happiness looked like a deep clean along with packing up clothes and items no longer serving me. I was then able to think of the right art for my walls and new decor additions. This was followed by taking old things down, putting other things up and identifying or purchasing pieces that spoke to me right now. Some of those items I’m not in a position to purchase just yet but the thrill of seeking them out brought me joy.
As the #BlackLivesMatter movement took flight again in a big way after the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd by police officers, an influx of new art was being created. It became even more important then for me to support and buy black art. I’ll be leaving some resources below if you’re interested in my favorite online shops.
2. Loving On My Interlocks
I’ll never be able to detach my loc journey from COVID-19. Starting them as things took off and experiencing both of my reties with a mask on are experiences I’ll never forget. At the same time, all of this personal time at home has given me a unique opportunity to continue doing research and learning about what my hair likes and dislikes. It’s allowed me to take an intimate look at my early stages, witnessing all of the incredible changes in real time. In a few days, I’ll be 3 months loc’d and I’m genuinely loving the experience so far. Most of all, I love how I feel when I look at myself with my unruly hair, completely unfiltered and as close to the way God intended as I’ve been since I was 5 years old receiving my first relaxer.
3. Reading is Bae
Everyone has their favorite escapes. For some it might be day long Netflix binges, listening to or making music, social media, etc. Mine has always been getting lost in books. I specifically love romance novels. I need them to have some bite to them and be crafty as they arrive to the HEA (happily ever after) but boy do I love the assurance that it’s coming. Given all that I’ve been attempting to survive, finding happiness in these stories gives me just the break I need from my own life.
Before the pandemic I would get through at least 2 books per month depending on how crazy things were at work. Now I’m eating them up. I’ve revisited a few and purchased others. My favorite reread is “The Perfect Find” by Tia Williams. It is so current and electrifying, you won’t want to put it down even if you’ve read it a few times like I have. Seriously, read it. The new read I feel compelled to mention is, “Beach Read” by Emily Henry. There’s such a fun and well done spin on typical romance storylines that made it feel refreshing even as it covered complex topics.
4. Launching pennsive.co
I’d be crazy not to mention this site and the outlet it has provided for me and my thoughts. Writing my journal entries and creating content for the pennsive.co IG feed has given me some purpose when I sometimes feel completely lost. I’ve been able to introduce my loc journey to the world, speak about my grief, and my career. More than anything else, it’s given me a space to design and be my own client. I’m almost never in a situation where I’m creating to express my own passions without having to consider the opinions of others. I’m so grateful for the release afforded to me by believing I had enough to say as I justified finally launching my digital journal. It’s just another one of those things that feel irrevocably tied to the craziness that is 2020 and COVID-19 but in the best way possible.
5. Embracing Silence + Stillness
One of the hardest things about being laid off is learning to be ok with no longer having a packed schedule and the purpose we assign to working. I’ve had many solo pep talks on giving myself grace and not feeling completely useless on the days where there are no job leads to pursue, networking calls scheduled or freelance to tend to. Being ok with peace and quiet and your own company is very underrated. It forces you to check negative self talk and live in the moment. The times where I sit with myself in this way make me think of how grateful I am to be alive, that my present circumstances are not my fault and that I have much to live for. Allow yourself to pause this way every now and then with zero guilt. Trust me, you deserve that.
