Protect Yo’self

I’ve been gone for a minute now I’m back…in shambles. Because what is actually happening around the country?!

I usually take the earlier part of the winter season to reset and I had every intention to come back with new ideas—especially for the tea room. But lawd…Y’all ok out there?

Let’s start with some tea (the herb kind) then some tea (for your wellness).

Our ally this time is going to be Thyme. Here’s a brief snapshot of this wonderful household herb that’s close to my heart:

• Thymus vulgaris

• Lamiaceae family

• Feminine, Cold, Water, Air, ruled by Venus

• Pungent, slightly bitter & warm

• Anti-microbial, antitussive, expectorant, antibacterial, gastrointestinal issues, respiratory infections, soothing for nerves, labor inducing

• Safe for culinary use; medicinally—caution for those who have gastritis, congestive heart failure, those who are pregnant. Caution if allergic to anything in the mint family

• Spiritually: Protection, purification, courage, healing, harmony

2-3 sprigs to 1 cup of hot water for a traditional infusion.

Now that we have our tea, some things to keep in mind as you doom scroll as a way to remind yourself of some of the power you have in these trying times. Sharing with you because I know I need it too.

1. Combating Information Fatigue

There is a difference between being informed and being consumed. Social media, as powerful as it is, is not meant to be an endless cycle of suffering that you scroll through until your spirit is numb. We get lost in hashtags, find ourselves down several rabbit holes and next thing you know it, you’re on the other side of the internet (it happened to me a few times this week alone). Be intentional about your intake. Set time limits. Unfollow accounts that thrive on doom. Get your news from sources that prioritize accuracy over panic. Trust that you don’t need to know everything in real time to be an engaged, compassionate person.

Most importantly, give yourself permission to step away. If you are drained, you are not absorbing information in a way that allows you to act meaningfully anyway. Read, reflect, rest. The fight will still be there when you return, and you’ll be stronger for it.

2. Navigating the Guilt of "Not Doing Enough"

Let’s be real—social media can make you feel like you’re never doing enough. There’s always another business to boycott, another crisis unfolding, another way you could be contributing. That urgency can be motivating, but it can also be paralyzing. And when we’re paralyzed, there’s no way that we are giving our best self for the cause.

Here’s the truth: you are doing enough. Your activism does not have to be loud or constant to be valid. Some people are on the front lines; others are working behind the scenes. Some educate, some donate, some provide care to those who need it. Some people simply survive—and in times of oppression, survival itself is resistance. Your rest and recovery…is your resistance.

Honor the ways you contribute, no matter how small they seem. Movements are sustained by the collective, not by one person burning themselves out.

3. The Power of Community Care

Speaking of the collective, individual resilience is important, but we were never meant to do this work alone. Community care—mutual aid, sharing resources, checking in on each other—is just as necessary as any protest or policy change. It’s leaning on each other to learn and plan that gives us the strongest foundation. Check to see the on the grounds work that is happening in your neighborhoods. The revolution will not be televised, nor will it be tweeted or have a trending track on it for a 30 sec video. You want to do something? Team up with those who are already doing the work. Can’t find them? Start something locally off the screen. Real g’s move in silence. Never forget.

Make space for joy in resistance. Laugh, connect, celebrate small victories. Hold each other up when the weight of the world feels unbearable. Social media has the power to isolate, but it also has the power to connect us in ways that make healing and collective action possible. Choose connection. Choose rest. Choose to protect yourself so you can keep showing up—not just for the fight, but for the world we are trying to build.

You are needed. You are enough. And you are not alone.

Take care of yourself out there. Until next time…