ON BEING A GOOD HUMAN

Step 1: Be good to yourself. 

Step 2: Be good to others. 

Step 3: Be a vessel for change. 

It sounds simple enough right? But it’s definitely not as easy when we start to take action. And if you’re REALLY doing the work in the midst of this pandemic and during these oppressive, racist times, you KNOW - this shit isn’t easy. Truth be told, I’ve distilled being a good human down to these three steps but it feels as if there are really 1730 actions to take within each step. 

So I propose that we begin at Step One: Be good to yourself. This is NOT to say to ignore the stuff that’s happening in the world right now. In fact, I believe that being good to yourself means being really honest with yourself. This includes acknowledging your privilege and checking your biases. This can really stir things up and create less than savoury feelings. It may even bring up some triggering emotions and unleash some inner child demons. But this is where a very crucial aspect of Step One comes in.

Be good to yourself also means to practice self-care. IMPORTANT SIDEBAR: if you are reading this, you probably have the luxury and privilege of practicing self-care. If you are non-Black or non-Indigenous, you likely have the privilege to turn it off and take a break from witnessing racism and oppression. Black and Indigenous Folx don’t always have this privilege. Let that sink in.

Self-care goes beyond face masks and bubble baths, though these can be effective tools for relaxation. To me, self-care equates to regulating my nervous system and practicing self-love. I make time everyday to meditate, to move and go outside. I regularly speak to a therapist and I write to organize my anxious brain. I take deep belly breaths, and I keep a gratitude journal. I acknowledge that I am very fortunate to have the time and space to do all of these things. 

Your self-care might look different from mine. What’s important is to keep showing up for ourselves. Even if it’s for one moment in time. We can better support others and be good allies by having the mental, physical and emotional capacity to be of service. This is how we can show up in the world. This is how we can be good humans. This is how we can begin to be better humans. 

Some journal prompts below to get your mind right:

Practice “brain dumping” by taking five minutes to write down whatever comes to your mind. Perhaps this is a shopping list, your concerns about the world, or maybe it’s a story about a dog you met today.

What are three things you are grateful for today?

What are you afraid of?

What do you desire?