“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” –Audre Lorde

It took me almost 21 years to understand the importance of “self-care.” As long as I was brushing my teeth and taking regular showers, I thought I was taking care of myself. Hygiene and self-care can be associated with one another, but in most cases, self-care can surface in one’s life in more substantial moments than clipping your fingernails.

Four years ago, I started to volunteer with a club on my college campus. In a women’s studies class, I heard of an opportunity to meet with my state’s lawmakers and I had to be there. This was the first chance that would have to make a real impact on the laws that would take shape in this state. Volunteering for Planned Parenthood opened up a whole new world of self-care that I was so naive to. I never understood the impact volunteering and activism would have on my well-being. I was able to confront the feelings of being stuck and unheard. I didn’t have to feel like a pawn in the bureaucratic mess of this country.

Before, I didn’t think to include my mental health on the list of self-care that I created for myself. And to be honest, I wasn’t equipped with the tools that I needed to take care of my mental health; I didn’t even know what tools I needed, or if I needed a tool box to keep them in.

This isn't the first time where I will mention that the health teachers I had through grade school did my peers and I a major disservice by omitting certain subjects in class. Mental health is one of those subjects; it was stigmatized in the classroom, and teachers were uncomfortable talking about it. No matter how uncomfortable you are discussing certain subjects as an educator, it isn’t your job to omit them from the syllabus. It took me almost 21 years before I realized that I needed to take care of my mental health, and I made a point to include that in my self-care routine.

The truth is, volunteering and getting involved in my community is the clearest form of self-reflection, especially now. Even in the most frustrating times in my volunteering experiences, I gain a new perspective on myself and the environment around me. Every moment, I find an opportunity to make personal adjustments to better myself and to make the most of my time in the space that I am in. There were moments where I was beat down, wondering “why isn’t this working?” and “why isn’t anyone else showing up?” I had to use those moments to grow stronger moving forward, I had to use those moments to reflect on myself and find the space for growth. This is self-care in activism; from the situations I am in, I learn where I can grow and continue to make an impact on my community. Each time, I learn more and more about myself and take bigger and bigger steps to impact my community and my country.

Audre Lorde describes self-care as self-preservation and an act of political warfare; preserving yourself, jumping in at the ground level and standing up for what you believe in. There is something incredibly powerful about what you are capable of when you practice these things. The personal is political, after all. Getting involved not only serves my community, but it serves my mental health and overall well-being.