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Daily WellnessMay 24, 2024
Self-Care Tips for Pride Month
Happy Pride Month! We hope you’re ready for the festivities and planning to take good care of yourself along the way. This month invites people to learn more about LGBTQ+ history and culture, connect as a community, and celebrate many unique identities. At the same time, it can also bring up a range of emotions and memories, or even just be a lot of socializing and time in the sun!
Here are 5 self-care tips that will help you embrace all the good in Pride Month while honoring and loving yourself in the process.
Show Your Kindness
Whether you’re an ally or part of the LGBTQ+ community, Pride Month is the perfect opportunity to add a splash of kindness to the world. Create a culture of kindness around you by telling others how much you appreciate them, surprising someone by paying for their meal or coffee, or treating a friend or neighbor to some freshly baked cookies. You can show yourself some kindness as well by spending time on things you enjoy. Acts of kindness have been shown to improve mood and increase self-esteem, empathy, and compassion.1
Take A Media Break
On one hand, Pride Month is an event filled with joy, love, acceptance, and education. On the other hand, it can also bring up complex emotions, topics, and debates. Reserve your right to protect your peace by temporarily tuning out or setting limits on social media or the news if needed. Staying informed is important, but these days we have so much exposure to current events it can be overwhelming. Try to unplug and focus on the affirming, beautiful things happening in your friend group or larger community.
Volunteer Your Time
When you think of self-care, you might immediately think about bubble baths and face masks. And while both are amazing, caring for yourself is deeper than that. Self-care can also mean giving yourself a sense of purpose, being empowered, and fostering community connections. Volunteering is a powerful way to meet those needs while being active for a cause you care about. Look for opportunities to volunteer during Pride Month, whether it’s with a local outreach group or community event organizer.
Practice Mindfulness
If you’re looking for a simple way to regulate your emotions, add mindfulness to your self-care toolkit.2 According to Jon Kabat-Zinn, the founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, “Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way; on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.”3 Mindfully engage your senses with the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise. Just spot five things around you, find four things you can feel, listen to three sounds, notice two scents, and identify one taste. Slowly tune in and see how it grounds you in the present moment.
Find Your Balance
There are so many ways to have fun during Pride Month, but don’t forget to balance it all out with rest and relaxation. If parades and festivals aren’t your thing, check out more low-key events happening at your library or community center. They can range from rainbow-themed craft nights to small film screenings from LGBTQ+ artists and are often free or very affordable. And if trying to attend it all while keeping up with regular life is just too much, take it easy! Treat yourself to an herbal mocktail moment with a summery and aromatic Lavender Cream Soda. Lavender is traditionally used to calm and support the nervous system.*
References
- 1. Siegle S. The art of kindness. Mayo Clinic Health System. Published May 29, 2020. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/the-art-of-kindness.
- 2. Guendelman S, Medeiros S, Rampes H. Mindfulness and emotion regulation: Insights from neurobiological, psychological, and clinical studies. Frontiers in psychology. March 6, 2017. Accessed May 10, 2024. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5337506/.
- 3. Barker, Kristin K. “Mindfulness Meditation: Do-It-Yourself Medicalization of Every Moment.” Social Science & Medicine, vol. 106, Apr. 2014, pp. 168–176, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.01.024.