Self-Care A-Z: Political Engagement as Self-Care
by Erlene Grise-Owens, EdD, LCSW, MSW, MRE, lead co-editor of The A-to-Z Self-Care Handbook for Social Workers and Other Helping Professionals
The tendency and temptation, especially in this divisive and difficult time, is to disengage from politics. Some say, “I avoid politics for my self-care.” However, I want to share why I advocate and how I practice political engagement as self-care.
Terms of Engagement
First, let’s clarify what I mean by politics. This term has been perverted to connote destructive partisanship and/or just negative behavior. The bullying, power-grabbing BS of some in political offices has become synonymous with “politics.”
But in its neutral sense, politics is a system of power through which policies, laws, and societal norms govern and affect our common living. We, the people, determine our political representatives, and they’re accountable for the common good.
Why Engage in Politics?
Self-Care is how you take your power back.— Lalah Delia
At heart, self-care is about power. Politics is a form of power. Engaging in politics is a way of accessing power, ergo, self-care.
The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.— Alice Walker
In addition to active disenfranchisement, this perversion of politics is done purposely by those who benefit the most from our disgust, discouragement, and disengagement from the political process. As Dr. Jalana Harris asked in her incisive post on the politics of self-care: “Who benefits from our not engaging in self-care?” In this case, oppressive groups benefit exponentially when we don’t practice self-care by accessing power through political engagement.
The personal is political. — Feminist Womanifesto
This rallying cry of feminism crystallizes the connection between one’s personal well-being and the larger political system. Consider aspects of your personal and/or work life. I challenge you to identify any area not affected by politics. From individual supports to planetary survival, politics affects every facet of personal, familial, community, and planetary well-being.
How I Engage in Politics as Self-Care
Along with my partner, we support selected national, state, and local candidates. We donate, write letters, make phone calls, host field staff, and so forth. Typically, we choose particular candidates and volunteer for their campaigns. Currently, we’re focusing on our District’s State Representative race. Our favorite activity is canvassing; we enjoy meeting people and getting in some exercise. (Now, with COVID-style precautions.)
Here’s how this engagement is self-care.
Provide productive focus
Frankly, I’m enraged by the current political situation. I use that rage as fuel to motivate me to take action. Focusing on a specific campaign helps direct that energy in productive and tangible ways.
Connect with a larger community and cause
Disconnecting from political processes can exacerbate discouragement. Being involved in political campaigns in positive, proactive ways connects me back with a larger group and cause. None of us can do everything, but each of us can do something. Genuinely grateful for those willing to serve in this challenging political climate, my partner and I figure the least we can do is support them. Working on the campaign of a former student who’s now a City Council Representative was particularly meaningful.
Frame success as contribution, not necessarily outcome
As with many things, we cannot frame political success only as “winning.” I’ve learned to gauge success as contribution. For instance, my partner and I have worked diligently on campaigns that lost the election. However, we felt good about contributing. Although disappointed, we weren’t defeated. In one state-level race, our candidate lost by 432 votes. Two years later, we’re working for another candidate for that position. We’re even more determined.
Maintain balance
Politics can be consuming. With election deadlines and urgent causes, it’s tempting to over-commit and become over-invested emotionally. As always, self-care is about balance. Regardless of the importance of the cause, sacrificing self-care in other areas is counter-productive. In addition to political engagement, I actively participate in social actions, such as protests, as part of this kind of self-care. My portable dry-erase board, yoga mat, and walking shoes in the trunk of my car depict my self-care: Ready for protest, yoga class, canvassing. Balance!
If not already doing so, I hope you’ll consider practicing self-care through political engagement. You might prefer focusing on other aspects, such as voter engagement. Certainly, circumstances affect resources for engagement. Just be sure you practice the ultimate political self-care: VOTE!
Peace, Love, & Self-Care,
Erlene
Dr. Erlene Grise-Owens, EdD, LCSW, MSW, MRE, is a Partner in The Wellness Group, ETC. This LLC provides evaluation, training, and consultation for organizational wellness and practitioner well-being. Dr. Grise-Owens is lead editor of The A-to-Z Self-Care Handbook for Social Workers and Other Helping Professionals. As a former faculty member and graduate program director, she and a small (but mighty!) group of colleagues implemented an initiative to promote self-care as part of the social work education curriculum. Previously, she served in clinical and administrative roles. She has experience with navigating toxicity and dysfunction, up-close and personal! Likewise, as an educator, she saw students enter the field and quickly burn out. As a dedicated social worker, she believes the well-being of practitioners is a matter of social justice and human rights. Thus, she is on a mission to promote self-care and wellness!