TLDR; We need self-care and community care. Scroll down for resources.
In this community, we often talk about self-care and the importance of taking care of yourself while acknowledging that sometimes it's just not enough.
Self care is often, but not always, a temporary solution. Self-care won't change the structural reasons we need self-care. Self-care helps us feel better and can help to equip us with what we need to handle future stressors differently when we engage in practices like mindfulness and journaling, but what does that mean for a time like this?
Right now, we need both self-care and community care.
There are a few articles that discuss the difference, and one of my favorites is this one where Nakita Valerio writes:
Last week, I put out an email to our community asking you what you want right now, what you need right now, and what you have to offer. It's been the most responded to email and so many people reached out with asks and offers.
I'm compiling a list of ways that we can help ourselves, help each other, and help our communities. It is incomplete. It is assuredly also already out of date - things are changing rapidly. And I will continue to update as time goes on, so please comment below with additions or updates.
Be safe, take care,
Sharon
So you need...
- immediate crisis support?
- Text HOME to 741741 to connect with the Crisis Text Line
- reliable information from trusted sources?
- World Health Organization (WHO)
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, CDC Stress)
- resources for:
- Immigrants (We Are One America or Informed Immigrant)
- Small businesses (SBA, Gusto)
- Homeowners and renters (NYTimes, FCC)
- Workers - sick leave (DOL)
- Workers - unemployment (DOL)
- to help?
- Donate money (Together Rising,
- Donate supplies (Get Us PPE)
- Create supplies (100 Million Masks)
- Other ideas (Girls Night In)
- money/job related support?
- anxiety reduction or therapy?
- Resources for anxiety and mental health (VirusAnxiety.com)
- Free meditations (StopBreathThink.com, Headspace, Honest Guys)
- Other self-care ideas (Girls Night In)
- entertainment?
- Free ebooks (Kindle)
- Free ebooks, audiobooks, magazines (Scribd)
- Free streaming opera (The Met)
- Other activity ideas (Girls Night In)
- support with your kiddos?
- Free audiobooks (Audible)
- Free educational schedules and lessons (KhanAcademy)
- Free learning activities (Scholastic)
- Other entertainment activities (Girls Night In)
- connection?
- Virtual Co-working (Go Love Yourself)
- Accountability (Supporti)
- Weekly Women's Circles (Go Love Yourself)
- Free Go Love Yourself Facebook Group (Go Love Yourself)
- Members Only Facebook Group (Go Love Yourself)
- Other activity ideas (Girls Night In)
- something for your brain?
- Free Ivy League Courses (Class Central)
- Self-Help Books (Go Love Yourself)
- something for your body?
- Yoga (Core Power, Peloton, Yoga with Adriene)
- Other workouts (Peloton, Planet Fitness, SolidCore)
What am I missing? Tell me what you need or leave other helpful sites/ideas below.
We're all in this together.