The Summer of Self-Care

Good morning Stripers!

        Summer is firmly under way, and we all have the midday hot flashes to prove it. Crop tops, sleeveless tees, and fresh fades are everywhere! People are looking hot while trying to keep cool, and of course, the haters don’t miss an opportunity to share their opinions with the rest of us. There’s a popular meme from a foreign country advising summer tourists to, “Dress for the Body You Have, Not the Body You Want,” and anybody that knows me, knows that body shaming gets no love here!

Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t think everyone should be Sashay Shauteing it down the runway in daisy dukes, but I resent the implication that people need to inconvenience themselves by overdressing in this treacherous heat because other people are ***holes. Point. Blank. Period. With the launch of the ESPN 2015 Body issue last week showing a diverse range of athletic bodies, as well as vast media recognition of some of my favorite pioneers of body confidence to include the incomparable Misty Copeland and Miss Tess “EffYourBeautyStandards” Holliday, it is clear that there’s no reason for ANY body to be your standard to live up to. We are unique individuals with a wide range of physical features, strengths, weaknesses, depths of soul, and special gifts. Big changes are happening right now all across the country and it’s a great thing, but we still have work to do and part of it starts with wholly accepting ourselves!

That’s why at the beginning of July, I decided to dub this the Summer of Self-Care. For me, it’s about making sure I am in a good place holistically: mind, body, and spirit. Each day, I am choosing to focus on different aspects of myself and doing some self-reflection; and even more importantly deciding to relax and enjoy reevaluating what I want out of life right now. I’m a teacher, so I have a unique window of time to be existential right now; I recognize that not everyone can take a few weeks off, but I urge you to block off a chunk of your day to focus on you! My wellness arsenal includes lots of Trap Muzik acoustic covers, pole fitness time, chats with good friends, and challenging my mind academically. Sounds too much like work you say? Well Summer Lovin’ has taken on a new meaning this year, and I plan to be Sandy by the times the leaves begin to change instead of Sandra Dee. I hope you’ll choose to be a bit of a chameleon for the rest of summer too. Don’t be afraid to join me!

XOXO,

Brittani

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