As Black women, many of us have pressured ourselves to work twice as hard for half of the recognition in general work spaces. So how can we support each other in taking care of ourselves along the way?
First of all, give yourself grace. We encourage all our members to give themselves a week to accomplish your goals. A routine might seem less overwhelming and restricting if you allow yourself 7 days to accomplish a goal or change a behavior or habit instead of 24 hours.
Lifestyle
Understanding your energy cycles is essential for any busy woman. Whether that means planning around your usual physical energy or your menstrual cycle, it is very helpful to understand why you feel a certain way and predicting when you will need your next break before you reach the point of complete exhaustion.
Physical Health
We’ve all been there. We look at our calendars and our workout plan and decide to finish up work instead. Listen. Ladies. We owe it to ourselves to invest in our health. The same way we invest our time and energy in our other responsibilities. And if you didn’t exercise yesterday and you planned to, that’s fine as well. The same way we need to take care of our bodies in keeping our heart pumping and body moving, is the same way we need to listen to our body when it needs REST. There are 6 other days in the week. One day isn’t going to knock down all your progress.
“The same way we need to take care of our bodies in keeping our heart pumping and body moving, is the same way we need to listen to our body when it needs REST.”
Your plan to Rest is just as important as your workout plan.
Skin
Our skin is the largest organ in our body. Seeing a licensed esthetician is a great way to understand your skin and the products it needs. Estheticians are professionals that help with skin maintenance and treatments. An aesthetician we love who does a magnificent job in educating online communities about skin conditions and skincare is *Nai (a.k.a @LaBeautyologist on Twitter and Instagram). Her website offers great services if you’re in her area, but also products and accessories that can help with your daily skincare routine.
Mental Health
For those of us who didn’t grow up with a focus on learning about and taking care of our mental health, doing so as a grown woman my seem overwhelming and frustrating. We understand, and we’re here to provide resources that can help. Email our self care coordinator using the following email, liv@adasessentials.com, for help finding a mental health professional or resource. We have also provided additional resources and spaces below. You are not alone, and you do not need to go through your healing journey alone. We would love to support you along the way!
Therapy for Black Girls
*Therapy for Black girls is an amazing online resource for Black girls and women to find therapists and mental health information that can help throughout their healing journey. We are also huge fans of their podcast, so go and check them out on Spotify, I heart radio, or any other platform you stream their podcasts.
*Black Girls in Om create amazing online spaces for meditation and rest. Whether you are taking a nap or just a 30 minute break from meetings their beautiful relaxing soundtracks on YouTube are amazing for your few minutes to be an breathe.
Hair
Regardless of how you wear your hair, it’s important to make sure you have time for weekly maintenance. Now, if you’re wearing a shortcut that may not require as much as if you wear wigs, twists, or wash n go’s, but having an idea of how you’ll fit it in to your schedule, will be helpful to reduce stress around hair care. There is a wide selection of amazing *hair care journals by Black owned shops on Etsy. Check them out *HERE to see if any of them fit your needs!
Nutrition
Keeping track of what you eat and how you’re nurturing your body and finding your balance can be difficult with a full schedule. Apps like *cronometer are great for tracking and gauging how the food you eat is giving you the sufficient energy you need for your day.
Want support in creating your personalized self care routine? Ada’s Essentials is here to help. We understand that many Black women find it difficult to secure appointments with health professionals and services that are designed specifically for them and their needs and our goal is to solve that problem! Once you’re an Ada’s Essentials’ member, you receive support for 12 months in reaching your health and self care goals. Learn more about becoming a member HERE!