<p>Brown Girl Self-Care is where Black women reclaim our wholeness and power in a world that demands our labor but denies our humanity. Here, the care of ourselves—and the care for each other—become sacred acts of justice, powerful ways of honoring our humanity in a world that doesn’t.</p><p>In this episode of the Brown Girl Self-Care podcast, I’m opening up about what I learned from taking an unplanned break. After moving and needing time to settle in, I found myself sitting in the discomfort of <em>not</em> producing—of not showing up in the ways I usually do. And even though I knew I needed the rest, there was still that lingering feeling that I <em>should</em> be doing more.</p><p>I’ll share how this experience reminded me that we are often <em>more tired than we realize</em>, how the pressure to always be productive is deeply tied to colonization and capitalism, and why it’s so important to give ourselves permission to pause <em>before</em> burnout forces us to stop.</p><p>In this episode, I’m sharing <strong>five key things to keep in mind when you’re struggling to rest:</strong></p><ol><li><strong>You’re probably more tired than you even realize.</strong> We’ve been conditioned to run on empty for so long that exhaustion can feel normal—until we finally stop.</li><li><strong>Resting will make you uncomfortable at first.</strong> When we’re used to equating our worth with productivity, stepping back can feel unnatural. That’s colonization talking.</li><li><strong>The world won’t fall apart because you take a break.</strong> We carry so much on our shoulders, but the truth is, things <em>will</em> keep moving even when we pause.</li><li><strong>You don’t have to feel “ready” to rest.</strong> If you’re waiting for a perfect moment to slow down, it’ll never come. Your body, mind, and spirit need care now.</li><li><strong>You have permission to pause.</strong> You don’t have to earn your rest. You don’t have to justify it. Rest is your birthright.</li></ol><p>If you’ve ever felt uneasy about slowing down—like you’re somehow falling behind or not doing enough—this episode is for you. </p><p>Let’s take this journey together—we are worthy of this care.</p><br><br>Our Sponsors:<br>* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code SELFCARE for a great deal: https://happymammoth.com<br>* Check out Wonderful Pistachios: https://WonderfulPistachios.com<br><br><br>Advertising Inquiries: <a href="https://redcircle.com/brands">https://redcircle.com/brands</a><br><br>Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href="https://redcircle.com/privacy">https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>