Thinking of something positive to write about this week is really hard. So instead of pretending that things are okay, I’m going to write about how important it is to prioritize your own well-being when things don’t feel okay.

Prioritizing your own wellness can seem very selfish, especially in the face of widespread hardship. You might think that you have no right to relax or treat yourself because you should be contributing to the world in some meaningful way at all times. But that notion is not only false, but also incredibly harmful. It is impossible to sustain a constant schedule of productivity without completely running yourself into the ground, at which point you’ll be no good to anybody. It’s okay to slow down.

If you need someone to give you permission, here it is: you’re allowed to prioritize your wellness. Even if you think you don’t deserve it, or someone else deserves it more. You not only deserve it, you NEED it to keep doing the amazing things that you are doing. So there, you have permission.

Now, this is not to say that you have permission to ignore what is going on around you and completely disregard the needs of others. Rather, this is just a reminder that if your plan doesn’t include rest and recovery, then that is a plan destined to fail.

If you’re like me, and still have a hard time prioritizing your wellness – or you’re just not sure what that even looks like – here are a few examples for insipration:

1. Take a sick day

I actually wrote an entire post about this one a few months ago – read it here!

2. Go shopping – locally, of course!

Did you know that retail therapy can also help your community? If you focus on shopping at small businesses in your area, you can treat yourself while also stimulating the local economy!

Directory of Local Businesses in Baltimore

Directory of Local Businesses in DC

3. Minimize media overload

Staying informed on current events is extremely important, but if your phone is constantly pinging with headlines and newsclips, it can be impossible to relax or focus. There are a lot of ways to minimize your media intake to healthy level, ranging from deleting all news and social apps, to turning off notifications, to setting specific times of day where you allow yourself to look at the news. Experiment with different levels to find a balance between up-to-date and calm state.

4. Talk with safe people

It’s great to be able to discuss significant topics and events with diverse groups that may have different ideas and opinions, but if you’re worried that talking to someone about a certain topic could be emotionally triggering, or even just exasperating, it’s okay to only seek out like-minded folk. Talking to someone you know won’t be judgmental or reactionary is really important for processing your thoughts and feelings.

It’s okay to slow down and look after yourself. Stay strong.