In order to raise your voice for others, you have to take care of yourself first. That’s where self care comes in. If you like this tip, be sure to sign up for the Raise Your Voice newsletter to receive your copy of The Revolution Starts with Me! self care zine for more tips and self care resources.
Here’s a great resource from the University of Buffalo School of Social Work designed to help you identify the people in your life you can turn to in times of stress and overwhelm, and how you can check-in to see where your stress level is.
Your “Breathe” supports are people who can recognize when you are feeling worried or stressed, and who you can rely on to let you know when you need to chill out.
“Identify Your ‘Breathe’ Supports” asks five important questions:
*Who supports you, and what kind of support do they provide? (This can include physical, emotional, spiritual, etc.)
*Who is in regular contact with you to be able to notice visual signs of you becoming stressed?
*Do you feel that the people you’ve chosen as your ‘breathe’ supports are sufficient, or do you need to expand your circle of support?
*Can you recognize when you’re becoming stressed?
*What do you need to be able to recognize when you’re becoming stressed?
Having people in your corner to gently let you know when you’re becoming stressed is very beneficial. Sometimes, all we need is someone in our corner to say, “Just breathe”.
Download the “Identify Your Breathe Supports” worksheet.
