“I just feel so much guilt when I rest because I know I have so much privilege.  I feel like I should be using my privilege to help others.”

One of my clients said this to me the other day, and trust me – I get it.

I bet you get it too, because in communities of color, this is a big value for us.

We don’t do anything just for ourselves. 

We rise up so that we can reach down and lift our community up as well.

In addition to holding this serious community value, we’re also typically very aware of how lucky we are when we gain privilege…

…because for most folks of color, we’re only one or two generations away from serious poverty, racial trauma, and war.

You may even still have family members who are still experiencing poverty and oppression and haven’t “gotten out.”

So of course it feels really fucking hard to feel comfortable resting and focusing on yourself and your thriving when your people are still surviving.

It’s because you know how lucky you are, and feel responsible to pay that luck forward.

Can I just say something that you really need to hear?

Even if you don’t:

❌speak up enough

❌protest enough

❌donate enough

❌advocate for and support others enough

You don’t have anything to be guilty for.

Seriously – I mean that.

You are a person of color. You likely come from a lineage of hardship, hard work, and oppression.

You may be the first or second generation in your family to even experience privilege.

Hear me when I say this:

You get to rest.

You have done so much.

Your parents and ancestors have done so much.

Honor them by resting, guilt-free, and thriving.

Because yes, while there is SO much work to be done so that all of us can be free…

…you also deserve peace while (and if!) you do this work.

You deserve rest.

You deserve joy.

And by you claiming these things, which have been held from our communities for so long…

That’s a powerful form of protest.

It’s a magnificent form of representation for folks who look like you, who haven’t gotten there yet.

And it’s only by claiming our peace, rest, and joy that we and future generations truly become free.

If you want to claim your peace, rest, and joy this year – we should talk about working together.

I’m currently on a wait list, so if you want to be first in line when a spot opens up, click here to schedule time to work together.

I can’t wait to do this work with you.

Gieselle