An Arsenal of Mental Health Coping Mechanisms are Necessary Right Now

Let’s talk about last night’s election results. We hoped that Vice-President Kamala Harris would be the first Black woman president in the US of A, but after seeing the terrorist attack that Trump orchestrated at our nation’s capitol, I had to also be realistic. And somehow, I remained calm the last 48 hours.

Some people always have a cool demeanor about them. I’m not one of those people. I’ve stressed out, thrown up, cried, etc about all kinds of situations I made up in my head. But, since this time one on the other side of the pillow I want to share some tips I learned from my therapist and life coach when I was in the trenches. Protecting your mental health is paramount right now. No one at work or school cares about your feelings and if you crash out after micro-aggression 947 you’ll still be the one in trouble. Plus, stress expedites aging and reduces your overall health.

Here’s a few easy ways to add self-care into your daily routine (and a playlist ⬇️):

🤎 Unplug. Ignore the news, social media, anything that keeps election coverage going 24/7.

🤎 Plug in. Make sure that you stay connected with friends, family and your support system.

🤎 Pray, meditate, do yoga. Your overall wellness is body and soul.

🤎 Take today off.

🤎 Fake a poo break to listen to music, cry, zone out, etc whether it’s work or kids.

🤎 Positive Energy Only! Dwelling on how this happened won’t change the results.

🤎 Aromatherapy comes in many forms. Light your fave candle or spray your favorite body perfume for an instant mood boost.

🤎 Stay hydrated and eat well.

🤎 Walk on your lunch break and eat at your desk.

🤎 Drink tea because it feels like a hug from the inside out. Bonus points if it’s ashwaganda.

🤎 Buy your next fest tix!

It’s hard to put in a mission statement but festivals for the culture have always been an act of resistance, empowerment and joy. A place where we can feel at home, be ourselves, speak freely and, well, just be. No matter the location, for a few hours everything seems right with the world. The whole point of this site and Next Fest list is for us to be able to find a quick respite from the daily grind. When I was still in corporate America, I’d work 10 days straight to get a 4-day weekend to enjoy life for a little bit. New Orleans, Detroit, Raleigh, insert-city-I’ve-never-heard-of Iowa, don’t matter. We get to fellowship, feel joy, and support Black business for a few days. Until we get to the other side, sometimes that has to be enough. Until then pray, cry, punch a pillow, smudge or do whatever is safe and necessary for you to be your Okay-est.

What self-care tips will you be using? Did I miss any? If so, drop them in the comments so we can all get through this together.

“We Gon Be Alright” Playlist

Warning: It’s mostly wholesome with a splash of ratchet.

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