Step 6: Brainstorm Self-Care

The facilitator explains what self-care is, then asks the participants to brainstorm which self-care methods they can employ right after experiencing a micro-aggression (10 minutes). Among the answers can be:

• Relaxation and breathing techniques (refer to step 2)
• Finding a safe place in your mind to calm down
• Journaling your feelings so you can validate them instead of pushing them away
• Practicing Yoga to calm the mind and move the tension/harm out of your body

Do not confuse self-care with pampering yourself. It is about showing up for yourself. This can also mean setting boundaries to yourself (Tawwab, 2021), like:

• I say no to things I do not like.
• I spend time around healthy, safe people.
• I forgive myself when I make a mistake.
• I disengage with people who commit micro-aggressions to me and remove myself from that situation.