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Created by Emma Karin Eriksson.

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If you complete this worksheet alone or with your team please reach out and let me know. I am actively collecting feedback and testimonials. eemmaa.karin@gmail.com

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Emma Karin's Values in Action Worksheet 2023

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Affirmations Project from Radical Domesticity 7

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Affirmations Project from Radical Domesticity 7

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This issue of Radical Domesticity is all about the different ways we can take care of ourselves. It includes an activity for creating affirmations which can help us with self regulation and self motivation.

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She's here! Radical Domesticity number seven!

The theme of this issue is 'Take Care'. To say that 2020 has been an overwhelming year is to not do it justice. Every day we woke up in a major traumatic event - somedays we woke up in multiple traumatic events. I had been working on the idea for this zine way back in 2019 and it feels right to issue it now (wish it could have come out sooner! sorry y'all)

Taking care of yourself can take many forms. In this issue I write about giving yourself a manicure at home, tips on saving money and budgeting, having an emergency plan and first aid basics, as well as how to care for cut flowers (buying myself flowers is my favorite self-care treat).

Be good to yourself, you deserve it.

Learn more about this item

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She's here! Radical Domesticity number seven! The theme of this issue is 'Take Care'. To say that 2020 has been an overwhelming year is to not do it justice. Every day we woke up in a major traumatic event - somedays we woke up in multiple traumatic events.

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Self-Care Adventure Board created by Emma Karin

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Self-Care Adventure Board created by Emma Karin

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The Emotion Wheel: What It Is and How to Use It

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Plutchik's "Wheel of Emotions" covers 8 fundamental emotions. We take a look at joy, sadness, acceptance, & other emotion wheel feelings.

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The Feelings Wheel - Self Awareness (EI)

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The Feelings Wheel - Self Awareness (EI)

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Welcome to the UB School of Social Work's Self-Care Starter Kit. The resources on these pages are appropriate for both students in training and for professionals already working in the field. There are additional resources that we trust will be helpful no matter where you are on your self-care journey.

The Self-Care Starter Kit℠ was initially developed for UB School of Social Work students, but it is our hope that these resources will be useful for students and professionals alike. Although the information does not address all that goes into developing the skills of self-care, it does begin the journey.
We recommend you start with Introduction to Self-Care, followed by Developing Your Self-Care Plan.
Using the Materials

You are welcome to use the Self-Care Starter Kit℠ exercises/worksheets without revising them for personal and/or educational (non-commercial) purposes only. We ask that you read over the Creative Commons licensing agreement, let us know that you will be using the materials, include the original citation information that is on them, as well the web address for our site, as an acknowledgement of where it was downloaded from and so people are able to explore our site if they're interested.

Butler, L. D., & McClain-Meeder, K. (2015). Self-Care Starter Kit. Located at http://www.socialwork.buffalo.edu/students/self-care/index.asp

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Acknowledgements

We hope the resources in these pages will be useful as you strive to maintain and enhance your well-being in all the important domains of your life.

We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all those who have helped us in this effort: the colleagues who generously contributed materials and provided advice on resources, copyright issues, and IT questions; the experts in the field who gave permission to include their materials; the SSW students who provided self-care utilization data and feedback on our materials and original workshop; and our colleagues on the UBSSW Reaccreditation Committee and in the school who provided both informational and tangible support for the development of this program and have incorporated self-care materials and activities in their courses. We are especially grateful to Elaine S. Rinfrette, LCSW-R, PhD for her extensive and essential contributions to every aspect of the development of this program; Shirley Reiser, LCSW and Elaine K. Hammond, LMSW for their far-sighted and widespread efforts to highlight self-care in our school by developing trainings and materials, and through their invaluable contributions to the development of these pages; Dana M. Horne, MEd for designing the self-care (Venn) logo and providing consultation and support; Robert Garlan, PhD for his thoughtful suggestions and text revisions for these webpages; Melissa Dudley, MSW for her excellent research assistance; and David Coppola for his superb work designing and programming the original self-care site webpages.

Lisa D. Butler, PhD
Self-Care Program Team Leader and Associate Professor

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Professional self-care is an essential social work survival skill. Our Self-Care Starter Kit will help students and beginning social work professionals understand the basics of maintaining and enhancing health and well-being.

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Having Your Boundaries Crossed - Social Skills (EI)

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Having Your Boundaries Crossed - Social Skills (EI)

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5 Tips for When People Cross Your Boundaries

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You may feel uneasy about addressing people who have crossed your boundaries, but there are ways to deal with these situations calmly and assertively.

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Setting Boundaries at Work - Social Skills (EI)

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Setting Boundaries at Work - Social Skills (EI)

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You need to create some space: between you and the j-o-b, or between yourself and some colleagues.

Saying "yes" at work to anything and everything can be tempting. By making yourself available, taking on extra responsibilities, or staying late, you can often set yourself apart.

Being too accommodating, however, might also set you up for undue stress and burnout.

According to a 2019 report that Udemy published, boundaries at work are being crossed regularly. Approximately 59% of managers feel pressed to work through lunch breaks, and 66% of employees have experienced or witnessed bullying.

A 2016 survey found 43% of working adults felt their jobs negatively affected their stress levels.

Chronic stress at work can affect both physical and mental wellness. You may find yourself dealing with symptoms of anxiety or depression. Learning how to set boundaries at work might take some practice, but establishing them early may help you avoid uncomfortable situations down the road.

Having a good work ethic doesn't mean you have to be perfect all the time. It's fine to say no to that last batch of overtime and to want to have the weekend off.

Your personal value as a human being doesn't rest on your ability to perform at work. By taking the pressure off yourself to perform, you can make setting boundaries with coworkers easier.

Here are some further resources to bookmark for giving yourself a professional break:

Your reputation is made up of more than people's opinions of whether you're a "good" or "bad" worker. It's the sum set of actions and behaviors people attribute both to you, plus their interactions with you.

As former law professor, ethics lecturer, and founder of CHARACTER COUNTS! Michael Josephson famously taught: "What you allow, you encourage." How you engage with others and what boundaries you establish with colleagues teach them what they can and can't say and do to you.

Liz Ryan is the founder of The Human Workplace and a former Forbes contributor. She addresses how to politely decline or redirect with your boss or coworker, when the answer to a request isn't a yes.

Here's more guidance on how to say no without being rude, plus some helpful prompts to reply and maintain boundaries.

Expecting people to abide by your workplace boundaries may be a challenge if you aren't comfortable with direct communication. Communicating clearly not only means being direct about where your lines are drawn, but it can also mean working through layers of conversation to fully understand something.

Clarity can mean avoiding assumptions; if you're uncertain; you may want to ask questions.

It can also mean making sure when you say "yes," you mean yes. Agreeing to something your instincts say "no" to can send a signal to other parties involved you're OK with something when you really aren't.

Saying yes only when you mean yes can also help build your integrity. Coworkers learn when you say something, they can trust your words to accurately represent your thoughts.

You may want to bookmark these resources on communication:

Responding with specific feedback in the moment can help set the stage for how you want your future interactions to go.

This can help build professional trust between yourself and coworkers. You're letting them know you value their time and effort, and validating what they've brought to the table.

"When you answer communication in a timely manner, you demonstrate confidence in your message, as well as respect for the recipient," says Linda Esposito, licensed clinical social worker, psychotherapist, and writer in Pasadena, California.

Not only is timely communication important, but choice communication is important as well. As much as folks relish watercooler talk, staying clear of indulging in gossip will help ensure your boundaries protect you and others from blurring lines with personal business.

Not participating in gossip, and only bringing company concerns up through the chain of command, is one small and continual step toward establishing a precedent for what teammates can come to you with.

Sharing concerns up the chain of command can also help prevent unintentional undermining of authority.

Workplace bullying is another toxic aspect of lack of boundaries that can be addressed by direct and calm-assertive communication.

"Your home is your sanctuary," says Esposito. "While it can be difficult to ʽ leave work at work ' if doing business from a home office, it's essential for work/life balance."

One way to do this, Esposito suggests, is by "tidying up your desk and stowing paperwork after your shift [to] signify it's time to decompress and enjoy the rest of your evening."

If you're finding you're losing yourself in your work, here's some advice on reconnecting with yourself outside of an all-consuming job.

"ʽThat doesn't work for me' is a short message that's long on limit-setting," explains Esposito.

Saying "that doesn't work for me" allows you to address a potential breach of your boundaries and offers room for an alternative option if there is one.

Having a plan for boundary crossing can also help prevent you from getting caught off guard. An immediate response lets your coworker know a line has been crossed but buys you some time if you need to think about the situation.

Want some help planning ahead for work boundary breaches?

Many places of work also have a preferred system for addressing conflict. If something inappropriate occurs, knowing your company's policy can help you take action sooner rather than later.

"Boundaries are all about respect - for yourself and for the other person," says F. Diane Barth, licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist in New York. "When a colleague says something inappropriate that you want to address, go for it.

"But keep in mind that anger, sarcasm, put-downs, and criticisms will not accomplish much, except to get you both worked up. Boundaries really don't work if they're used to punish another person. If you make it clear that you respect the other person, it's much easier to communicate that you expect them to respect you as well," Barth adds.

Addressing concerns at the moment may also help you " call people in," a conversational method that shines a light on behavior without direct accusation.

Calling people in focuses on finding mutual understanding instead of confrontation.

Setting healthy boundaries at work isn't just about taking a stand on hours, responsibilities, or interactions. Without limits on what you're willing to take on, you can find yourself miserable at work and feeling overwhelmed.

If you're unsure of how to set boundaries, or feel too overwhelmed, speaking with a mental healthcare professional may help.

You may also want to talk with a human resources representative at your company. They have access to supportive resources as well.

Contacting agencies skilled in addressing workplace issues can also provide support. These include:

Setting boundaries at work doesn't mean you have an attitude, you're looking to work less than your fair share, or are less ambitious than your coworkers. It's about self-care for mental wellness, mutual respect, and clear-cut communications.

Boundaries can help prevent workplace burnout and might help you be more productive in the long run.

Learning how to set boundaries, however, and being comfortable doing so, isn't always easy. You may be worried you won't get a promotion, or you might associate your self-worth with job accomplishments.

Sometimes it's just uncomfortable to say no to people.

The good news is, you can learn to set boundaries without being confrontational, and you can reinforce those boundaries subtly and mindfully.

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7 Tips for Setting Work Boundaries in Your 24/7 Schedule

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You need to create some space: between you and the j-o-b, or between yourself and some colleagues. Saying "yes" at work to anything and everything can be tempting. By making yourself available, taking on extra responsibilities, or staying late, you can often set yourself apart.

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https://jamesaltucher.com/blog/1-rule-no/

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For Black Women, Self-Care Is A Radical Act

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For Black Women, Self-Care Is A Radical Act

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Audre Lorde, a Black Feminist theorist and activist, once opined about the importance of self-care. She said, in part, that caring for one's self "is not self-indulgent." Instead, Lorde explained, self-care "is self-preservation" and is also "an act of political warfare." Lorde's perspective is critical, especially for Black women. We spend significant portions of our lives shouldering the burdens of others with little concern for our own health and happiness. Navigating a racist, sexist, homophobic, and classist world is harmful for Black women. Lessening the impact of oppression is an impossible task, but centering our needs and desires allows Black women to exact some semblance of pleasure in our lives.

The University of Kentucky's Department of Student Affairs defines self-care as a series of intentional actions that increase mental, emotional, and physical health . The university also notes that self-care is difficult for those who've survived interpersonal violence and abuse. How challenging is it, then, for Black women to exact self-care? We've endured centuries of oppression, enslavement, and immense brokenness. We've borne witness to a cultural disregard for our pain and our losses and our burdens-and we've survived.

Self-care is a radical feminist act for Black women because we've spent generations in servitude to others. In fact, Black women have often been considered properties of our communities.

Villages raise children, and in many communities of color, the responsibility of rearing children and offering support to multiple members of the village falls upon the shoulders of Black women. We're conditioned to believe that we're obligated to nurture others at our own expense. With no regard for ourselves and our needs, Black women are often fed the crooked, and unfair, idea that our allegiance to those within our communities requires our needs to come last.

Dr. Shanesha Brooks-Tatum regards self-care as a subversive act because it allows Black women to center their own needs, which we have been unable to do historically . As she wrote in an essay for The Feminist Wire:

"It's subversive to take care of ourselves because for centuries Black women worldwide have been taking care of others, from the children of slave masters to those of business executives, and often serving today as primary caregivers for the elderly as home health workers and nursing home employees."

For me, self-care is a reason to travel. Jetsetting to a luxurious tropical locale that serves unlimited mixed drinks gives me the much-needed centering I need. After I've given so much of myself and my energy to others-to my partner, to my family, to my students, to my editors, and to my colleagues-I now recognize when it's time to devote time to rejuvenation and relaxation. Crossing into international time zones allows me the space to unplug from the world and be present in moments without feeling guilt. Using art, teaching, and researching to illuminate racism, sexism, and other oppressions is important work, but it has also taken a significant toll on me.

Self-care is listening to what my body tells me, and honoring whatever it needs at that time. Not overexerting myself is self-care. Participating in activities that I love, like reading or hiking or tweeting or watching TV or doing nothing, is self-care. Self-care, for me, is a consistent effort to place myself and my needs at the forefront of my priorities.

Not placing ourselves first is costing Black women more than peace of mind. Despite her brilliance, Lorde died from breast cancer after spending her entire life in servitude to others.

Black women are entitled to moments of sunshine after spending centuries shrouded in the bleakness of enslavement. Placing ourselves at the center of our lives is an act of political warfare, as Audre Lorde so emphatically reminds us. Yet we must continue to remember that Black women are no good to others when we're not first good to ourselves.

Lorde's quote hangs on a mirror that I gaze into each morning, as a reminder of how much I matter. My needs are first, not last. Taking on the world and its injustices isn't an obligation. I'm not Superwoman. Taking time for me is essential.

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For Black Women, Self-Care Is A Radical Act

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Audre Lorde, a Black Feminist theorist and activist, once opined about the importance of self-care. She said, in part, that caring for one's self "is not self-indulgent." Instead, Lorde explained, self-care "is self-preservation" and is also "an act of political warfare." Lorde's perspective is critical, especially for Black women.

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Critically Reflective Practice by Stephen Brookfield

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Critically Reflective Practice by Stephen Brookfield

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Brookfield models of reflective practice

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Reflective Practice and Critical Reflection

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Reflective Practice and Critical Reflection

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If you read nothing else - read this!!

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ISBN: 9780231184809

256 Pages

Format: Hardcover

List Price: $37.00 £30.00

ISBN: 9780231545686

256 Pages

Format: E-book

List Price: $36.99 £30.00

Our ability to understand others and help others understand us is essential to our individual and collective well-being. Yet there are many barriers that keep us from walking in the shoes of others: fear, skepticism, and power structures that separate us from those outside our narrow groups. To progress in a multicultural world and ensure our common good, we need to overcome these obstacles. Our best hope can be found in the skill of empathy.

In Social Empathy, Elizabeth A. Segal explains how we can develop our ability to understand one another and have compassion toward different social groups. When we are socially empathic, we not only imagine what it is like to be another person, but we consider their social, economic, and political circumstances and what shaped them. Segal explains the evolutionary and learned components of interpersonal and social empathy, including neurobiological factors and the role of social structures. Ultimately, empathy is not only a part of interpersonal relations: it is fundamental to interactions between different social groups and can be a way to bridge diverse people and communities. A clear and useful explanation of an often misunderstood concept, Social Empathy brings together sociology, psychology, social work, and cognitive neuroscience to illustrate how to become better advocates for justice.

This book brings together important ideas about how we relate to one another and make decisions about the society we live in. Using social empathy to frame community decision making such as social policies helps us understand our citizenship responsibilities. Especially in times of extreme political divisiveness, we need to be reminded of the consequences of a lack of social empathy-in our individual relationships, communities, and national discourse. Anyone who is asking difficult questions about divisiveness in their own community will find Segal's ideas useful in reflecting on questions of why and what next. Sarah Garlington, Ohio University

Social Empathy expands on what we know about interpersonal empathy and strikes right at the heart of today's partisan conflicts. In readable, humane, and informative prose, this book explains how we can overcome tribal instincts and forge the supportive, meaningful connections we need in order to thrive in today's global environment. Caroline Wellbery, Georgetown University School of Medicine

Elizabeth Segal's groundbreaking work on social empathy explains how we can expand our capacity to appreciate the social contexts and lived experiences of diverse others. Given growing diversity and urbanization in countries worldwide, this book could not be more timely or urgent for strengthening public problem-solving and enhancing our collective wellbeing. William M. Snyder, coauthor of Cultivating Communities of Practice

In this stellar book, Elizabeth Segal offers a cross disciplinary picture of social empathy. Like the periodic table, she distills empathy to its essential elements, helping readers understand the essence of empathic thinking and living. This book is a must read for all concerned about how to educate ourselves and the next generation to live an empathic life. Miriam Raider-Roth, University of Cincinnati

Segal summarizes her ten-plus years of research into social work, psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and sociology to present a new study of empathy, raising the fundamental helping skill of imagining oneself in another's place, to a higher level. . . . [Social Empathy] ought to be required reading for the pathologically narcissistic POTUS and all his lackeys. Library Journal

This important book deserves to be taken seriously by anybody interested in social welfare. Constantine Sandis, Times Higher Education

A clear and useful explanation of an often misunderstood concept, Social Empathy brings together sociology, psychology, social work, and cognitive neuroscience to illustrate how to become better advocates for justice. Steve Brock, Stevo's Book of the Week

The strength of this book is Segal's argument that the psychological literature on interpersonal empathy should be expanded to include a macro-sociological level. Choice

Preface
1. What Is Empathy?
2. Why Do We Need Empathy?
3, If It's So Important, Why Is Empathy So Hard?
4. Are Power and Politics Barriers to Empathy?
5. What If Stress, Depression, and Other Health Factors Block Empathy?
6. Where Is Religion in Empathy?
7. Can We Have Empathy with Technology?
8. Social Empathy-Making the World a Better Place
Epilogue: Teaching Social Empathy
Notes
Index

About the Author

Elizabeth A. Segal is a professor in the School of Social Work at Arizona State University. She is the author of Social Welfare Policy and Social Programs: A Values Perspective, fourth edition (2016) and coauthor of Assessing Empathy (Columbia, 2017).

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Social Empathy | Columbia University Press

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ISBN: 9780231184809 256 Pages Format: Hardcover List Price: $37.00 £30.00 ISBN: 9780231545686 256 Pages Format: E-book List Price: $36.99 £30.00 Our ability to understand others and help others understand us is essential to our individual and collective well-being.

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Who hasn't heard, said, or been told the following when experiencing stress, fear, or anger?

"Just take a deep breath and relax..."

This common expression refers to a very simple action yet embraces great wisdom and efficacy.

Simple, but often unconscious and overlooked, breathing can be highly potent and beneficial for physical and mental health.

The use and benefits of deep breathing can be traced back to ancient traditions. Many contemplative disciplines such as meditation, yoga, tai chi, and qi gong integrate this type of breathing into their practices.

More recently, science has delved into this topic, accumulating a considerable body of research supporting the effectiveness of deep-breathing techniques.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Meaning and Valued Living Exercises for free. These creative, science-based exercises will help you learn more about your values, motivations, and goals and will give you the tools to inspire a sense of meaning in the lives of your clients, students, or employees.

What Is Deep Breathing?

Also known as yogic breathing, deep breathing is the voluntary regulation of breath by consciously and actively using the diaphragm to increase the inflow and outflow of air, as well as to decrease the frequency of each breathing cycle (Varvogli & Darvini, 2011).

The diaphragm is the muscle separating the abdomen and chest cavity. Attached to the base of the lungs, the diaphragm is rarely activated when breathing unconsciously. This translates into a shallow breathing pattern leading to poor ventilation and decreased respiratory efficiency.

On the other hand, when breathing deeply, you engage this muscle by allowing your belly to rise and drop freely, facilitating a greater airflow and breathing efficiency (Russo, Santarelli, & O'Rourke, 2017). This allows an array of physiological and psychological processes to take place.

Although the emphasis is on activating the diaphragm, deep breathing involves the whole torso, from the lower belly up to the base of the neck, and comprises three types of breathing patterns (Saraswati, 2013):

Abdominal breathing emphasizes the engagement of the diaphragm and minimizes the activation of the ribcage. This type of breathing facilitates greater respiratory efficiency.

Thoracic breathing emphasizes the expansion and contraction of the ribcage over the use of the diaphragm. This type of breathing spends more energy and is often related to intense physical activity and stress. By using it in combination with abdominal breathing, it helps the body obtain more oxygen.

Clavicular breathing concentrates on the final stage of thoracic breathing, by drawing the shoulders and collarbone upward to allow more air into the lungs.

Breath: the vital energy

Eastern perspectives like Taoism and Hinduism have long considered breath as the manifestation of vital energy residing in the body. After all, life begins with an inhalation and ends with an exhalation. And all that is in between is possible thanks to breath.

In yoga, breath is a key element of the practice. The ancient text The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali considers pranayama as one of the eight limbs of yoga. Pranayama, or breath regulation, refers to the extension of the vital energy through the breath (Saraswati, 2013) and can be understood as an umbrella term for different breathing techniques, including deep breathing.

It is also known as yogic breathing since yogis intentionally regulate their breath to mobilize prana and anchor the mind while performing different asanas or postures. Yogis can also use deep breathing while meditating or practicing other types of pranayama, which include elements such as breath retention and sound.

Although yoga - and pranayama in particular - have been in existence for thousands of years, they only became known by Western societies in the late 19th century when introduced by Swami Vivekananda.

Both yoga asana and pranayama practices increased in popularity due to their contended effectiveness in improving illness and health. This ignited interest within the scientific circles and propelled investigation throughout the 20th century (Sengupta, 2012).

From a scientific perspective, breathing also encompasses a vital force. Oxygen enables cells to undertake chemical processes to produce energy to keep the body functioning (Romas & Sharma, 2017).

Furthermore, the pace of the breath influences the central nervous system in direct and indirect ways, through innervations in the diaphragmatic muscle. How the diaphragm is involved can influence not only physiological responses but also psychological states (Russo et al., 2017).

Benefits of Deep Breathing

A wide range of empirical evidence compiled in scientific reviews supports the notion that deep-breathing techniques can improve symptoms and aid in illness treatment within clinical populations and are also beneficial in enhancing wellbeing and health in healthy people.

The role of deep breathing for combating disease

Cardiovascular diseases. Deep breathing can be effective in reducing high blood pressure (Brandani, Mizuno, Ciolac, & Monteiro, 2017) and heart rate (Saoji, Raghavendra, & Manjunath, 2019) in hypertensive individuals.

Stress. Empirical evidence based on both objective and subjective measures points to the effectiveness of deep-breathing exercises for improving psychological and physiological stress (Hopper, Murray, Ferrara, & Singleton, 2019).

Anxiety and depression. Deep breathing can reduce anxiety and depressive symptoms in the general population and people with those clinical conditions (Jerath, Crawford, Barnes, & Harden, 2015).

Respiratory diseases. Deep breathing can help in the treatment of asthma and tuberculosis, as well as contribute to cigarette withdrawal (Saoji et al., 2019).

Diabetes. Breathing techniques can enhance the quality of life and improve sympathetic responses in people with diabetes when combined with traditional treatments (Saoji et al., 2019).

Cancer. Deep-breathing techniques can improve fatigue, quality of life, sleep, and anxiety when combined with chemotherapy or radiotherapy in cancer patients (Saoji et al., 2019).

The role of deep breathing for improving wellbeing

Regulates the nervous system. Deep breathing with a slow rhythm can increase relaxation responses by activating the parasympathetic nervous system and decrease stress responses by inhibiting the sympathetic nervous system (Saoji et al., 2019).

Promotes emotional wellbeing. Studies on slow-breathing techniques consistently suggest their ability to foster positive emotions and behaviors, facilitating emotional regulation and overall wellbeing (Zaccaro et al., 2018).

Enhances vitality. Evidence also points to effects on brain activity, increasing alpha and theta waves, which are related to greater vitality (Zaccaro et al., 2018).

Boosts respiratory performance. Different breathing exercises can improve respiratory efficiency through the regulation of pace, volume, and intermittent pauses in respiration, as well as by the active use of diaphragmatic muscle and actively exhaling (Russo et al., 2017).

Improves biochemical and metabolic processes. Studies conducted in athletes suggest that deep breathing following intense physical exercise can foster antioxidant response and protect from effects of free radicals (Saoji et al., 2019), which can translate in improved levels of health and greater longevity (Russo et al., 2017)

Deep Breathing for Stress and Anxiety: Why and How Does It Work?

It has been suggested that the vagus nerve mediates the effect of slow breathing on the autonomic nervous system. Slow respiration patterns increase vagal response not only within the respiratory system, but also in the gastrointestinal and cardiovascular systems.

The vagus nerve delivers interoceptive information from these systems to the central nervous system, which is related to psychological and behavioral responses. This would explain the effect of deep breathing in both physiological and psychological spheres (Zaccaro et al., 2018).

Different emotions have been associated with varying patterns of breathing, heart activity, and activation of either sympathetic (e.g., anxiety) or parasympathetic (e.g., happiness) nervous system responses (Kop et al., 2011).

Evidence suggests that deep breathing inhibits sympathetic activity and increases parasympathetic responses, which translates to experiencing less distressing and more positive emotions (Jerath et al., 2015).

Furthermore, the cardiovascular system synchronizes with the respiratory system during deep breathing. This is portrayed as a low heart rate and paced breathing at a ratio of 4 or 5 heartbeats for each breath. This synchronization might regulate the autonomic nervous system and the amygdala, thus facilitating positive emotional states and decreasing anxiety (Jerath et al., 2015).

How to Do It

According to yogic tradition, pranayama comprises four elements that are used in different breathing techniques in diverse ways.

These elements are:

Inhalation

Exhalation

Internal breath retention

External breath retention

Following this tradition, it is strongly recommended that you first master inhalation and exhalation to develop strength within the respiratory and nervous systems. It is believed that this will enable the flow of prana through the energy channels in the body or nadis (Saraswati, 2013).

The cleansing, modulation, and activation of the nadis through the breath can lead to physical and mental stability. Once you learn how to control these elements, you can then practice internal and external breath retention. Retention is the most regarded aspect of pranayama, as it represents the temporary cessation of prana and connection to purusa or pure consciousness (Iyengar, 2013).

Suggestions before practicing

Wear comfortable clothes.

Since food can put some pressure against the diaphragm and lungs, making deep breathing more difficult to experience, avoid practicing after eating.

Set a time of day and place where you can concentrate entirely on the breathing exercise.

Always use your nostrils for breathing.

If you have a blockage that prevents you from breathing freely through the nostrils, you can slightly open your mouth to allow better ventilation.

Clean your nostrils by blowing in a tissue before starting.

Sit in a comfortable position that you can maintain throughout the entire practice, or lie on your back.

Keep your spine straight and avoid straining the body.

Cautions

Do not practice if you are feeling ill or unwell.

Stop if you feel discomfort at any time during the practice.

Sensations such as tingling, heat, cold, itching, lightness, or heaviness can be experienced by healthy people.

Seek advice from an expert if you are pregnant, have a medical condition, or have any concerns before practicing.

3 Breathing Exercises to Learn Deep Breathing

The following breathing exercises have been arranged in a progressive order, each one helping you to build up awareness and strength to carry on to the next one.

You might want to start by doing the first one or two for a few sessions and then incorporate one more as you become familiar with the first steps.

1. Breath awareness

The breath awareness exercise is a simple introduction to your breathing pattern, which helps you to slow down and enter a relaxed pace of breathing.

Sitting in an upright position, or lying down on your back, find a comfortable position that you can sustain for a few minutes.

Release any unnecessary tension and gently bring your awareness to your breath. You only need to observe your breath; do not change anything.

Observe the movements and sensations in your body with each inhalation and exhalation. Let your attention travel with the air passing through your nose and throat to your lungs, feeling the expansion of the chest and belly.

Continue doing this for a few minutes.

2. Three steps to deep breathing

To experience deep breathing, first you will have to identify and experience the three types of breathing that comprise it. For this exercise, it is better to lie down on your back if possible.

Place your right hand on top of your navel and left hand on top of your chest. Start by observing the natural flow of your breath for a few cycles.

a. Abdominal breathing

With the next inhalation, think of intentionally sending the air toward your navel by letting your abdomen expand and rise freely. Feel the right hand rising while the left hand remains almost still on top of the chest.

Feel the right hand coming down as you exhale while keeping the abdomen relaxed. Continue to repeat this for a few minutes without straining the abdomen, but rather allowing it to expand and relax freely.

After some repetitions, return to your natural breathing.

b. Thoracic breathing

Without changing your position, you will now shift your attention to your ribcage. With the next inhalation, think of intentionally sending the air toward your ribcage instead of the abdomen.

Let the thorax expand and rise freely, allowing your left hand to move up and down as you keep breathing. Breathe through the chest without engaging your diaphragm, slowly and deeply. Your right hand should remain almost still.

Continue to repeat this breathing pattern for a few minutes.

c. Clavicular breathing

With the next inhalation, repeat the thoracic breathing pattern, and when the ribcage is completely expanded, inhale a bit more, thinking of allowing the air to fill the upper section of your lungs at the base of your neck.

Feel the shoulders and collarbone rise gently to find some space for the extra air to come in. Exhale slowly, letting the collarbone and shoulders drop first and then continue to relax the ribcage.

Continue to repeat this for a few minutes. After some repetitions, return to your natural breathing.

3. Yogic breathing

Start by practicing this meditation technique lying on your back with one hand on your belly and the other on your chest. As you gain more experience, you can try this in a sitting position.

Start by focusing on your natural breath, as practiced in the first exercise. Continue to practice the three stages of deep breathing sequentially. With the next inhalation, think of intentionally sending the air toward the navel by letting your abdomen expand and rise freely.

Continue breathing and thinking of sending the rest of the air into the ribcage, allowing it to expand fully. Continue to inhale the remaining amount of air you can by letting the collarbone and shoulders to rise.

Exhale slowly by first dropping the shoulders and collarbone, then relaxing the ribcage and finally releasing the abdomen. Repeat this for a few minutes.

Draw your attention to your hands as they rise and fall as you breathe. You can start counting as you inhale and exhale, keeping the same ratio. For example, you can count up to four on each inhale, and four on each exhale.

After a few repetitions, return to your natural breathing.

3 Popular Breathing Techniques From Yoga and Meditation

These techniques, originating from meditation and yoga, can also be extremely useful.

1. Alternate nostril breathing

Nadi shodana pranayama or alternate nostril breathing is considered a balancing pranayama.

It is believed to cleanse the nadis or energy channels in the body through two main nadis: ida and pingala, represented by the left and right nostril, respectively.

A systematic review of randomized controlled trials indicates that this technique can effectively improve autonomic, cardiorespiratory, and cognitive functions (Ghiya, 2017).

2. Triangle breathing

The triangle breathing technique uses a deep breathing pattern with external breath retention. It consists of imagining each breath cycle as a triangle, using a 4:4:4 ratio for inhaling, holding, and exhaling.

With practice, you can change to a 4:8:8 ratio. Longer breath retention has been associated with relaxation, less oxygen consumption, decreased metabolic rates, and cognitive inhibition responses (Saoji, Raghavendra, Rajesh, & Manjunath, 2018).

3. Square breathing

The square breathing exercise uses the deep breathing pattern with internal and external breath retention. It consists of imagining each breath cycle as a square, using a 1:1:1:1 ratio for inhaling, holding in, exhaling, and holding out.

This technique allows the body to relax and preserve energy, and studies suggest it is useful for muscle fatigue, headaches, and other stress-related symptoms (Romas & Sharma, 2017).

5 TED Talks About Breath

To learn more about the benefits of deep breathing and techniques, you can watch these five TED Talks:

1. Breath - five minutes can change your life - Stacey Schuerman

2. The powerful secret of your breath - Dr. Romila Mushtaq

3. The Science of Yogic Breathing - Sundar Balasubramanian

4. Change Your Breath, Change Your Life - Lucas Rockwood

5. How to breathe - Belisa Vranich

4 Deep-Breathing Worksheets

In addition to the deep-breathing exercises listed above, here are four worksheets to start practicing these deep-breathing techniques:

A Take-Home Message

Deep breathing presents multiple health and wellbeing benefits for healthy individuals and those experiencing certain clinical conditions. Moreover, it is cost effective, easy to learn, and generally safe.

These practices only take a few minutes and can be easily introduced and practiced in a clinical or therapeutic context to complement traditional treatments. They can also be applied in educational settings with young people and workplaces with adults.

A key element to implement them successfully is to practice what you preach. As with other practices such as mindfulness or meditation, deep breathing should be directly experienced by the person delivering the technique before guiding people into it.

Although breathing is often experienced as an involuntary behavior, it can certainly be intentionally trained to improve your breathing patterns and habits. So just breathe, practice, and relax!

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don't forget to download our three Meaning and Valued Living Exercises for free.

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Daniela Ramirez-Duran, Ph.D. candidate, MAPP

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The Power of Deep Breathing: 7 Techniques and Exercises

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Who hasn't heard, said, or been told the following when experiencing stress, fear, or anger? "Just take a deep breath and relax..." This common expression refers to a very simple action yet embraces great wisdom and efficacy. Simple, but often unconscious and overlooked, breathing can be highly potent and beneficial for physical and mental health.

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Using Canva to make a Digital Vision Board

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Using Canva to make a Digital Vision Board

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Stay inspired with a beautiful vision board. Use Canva’s free vision board maker to collect meaningful photos and quotes.

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Skip to Main Content

It looks like you're using Internet Explorer 11 or older. This website works best with modern browsers such as the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. If you continue with this browser, you may see unexpected results.

In recent decades, the role of libraries in our communities have shifted. No longer are they just places for people to quietly study and browse endless shelves of books. According to A. Issaac Pulver, Director of the Saratoga Springs Public Library, "'Libraries have gone from places of solitude to real community spaces where people gather to learn together.'" [1]

With this transition to a community space has come some unanticipated developments. As Karen Bradley, Director of the Schenectady County Public Libraries, said in a recent interview, "' Libraries seem to be the most trusted institutions in this country at this time so [people] come to us for everything. . . . People come in very stressed... People are really struggling and looking for assistance.'" [1] Increasingly, public libraries have acted as impromptu day shelters for people experiencing homelessness, and a startling number of patrons experiencing substance use disorders have overdosed. Most librarians and library staff have had limited formal training in dealing with these sorts of social issues, which can lead to stress and burnout.

The purpose of this guide is to provide information and resources for librarians and library staff on how to create a trauma-informed approach to library services to help them meet the needs of their community, while also providing support and training for them to maintain their own wellness when interacting with patrons experiencing trauma.

References:
[1] Nash, Indiana. (2019, January 19). "Way beyond books: How libraries have changed." The Daily Gazette. Retrieved from:https://dailygazette.com/article/2020/01/19/way-beyond-books-how-libraries-have-changed.

Attribution:

This guide was originally published as a capstone project for the New York Library Association's Developing Leaders Program in early 2020. Members of the group were Catherine Brenner, Team Leader for Programming and Community Engagement at Bethlehem Public Library; Elizabeth Putnam, Head of Adult Services at the East Greenbush Community Library and previously Social Sciences Librarian at Skidmore College; Emily Spinner, clinical medical librarian at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady, NY, secretary of the board of trustees for CDLC, member of the Schenectady County Community Work Group for Trauma-Informed Care and the Schenectady Coalition for a Healthy Community. Previously she was a grants librarian at a healthcare consulting firm; Meghan Wakeman, Resource Sharing Librarian at the CDLC. She previously worked at Albany Public Library for nearly 10 years.

Starting in November 2020, CDLC will be maintaining and updating content.

© 2022 cdlc.org | Capital District Library Council
800 Troy Schenectady Rd | Latham | New York 12110
Phone: 518-438-2500
Directions

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All guides: Trauma-Informed Libraries: Home

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Skip to Main Content It looks like you're using Internet Explorer 11 or older. This website works best with modern browsers such as the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. If you continue with this browser, you may see unexpected results. In recent decades, the role of libraries in our communities have shifted.

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Four Parts of Accountability by Mia Mingus

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Four Parts of Accountability by Mia Mingus

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An Invitation to Community and Models for Connection

After almost every presentation I give to executives, think tanks, and policy makers, one of those leaders quietly confesses how much they long for the profound community I describes. They have family, friends, and colleagues, yet they still feel like they're standing alone. They're "winning" at the American Dream, but they're lonely, disconnected, and unsatisfied.

It seems counterintuitive that living the "good life"-the well-paying job, the nuclear family, the upward mobility-can make us feel isolated and unhappy. But in a divided America, where only a quarter of us know our neighbors and everyone is either a winner or a loser, we've forgotten the key element that helped us make progress in the first place: community. In How We Show Up, I show that what separates us isn't only the ever-present injustices built around race, class, gender, values, and beliefs, but also our denial of our interdependence and need for belonging. In response to the fear and discomfort we feel, we've built walls, and instead of leaning on each other, we find ourselves leaning on concrete.

Through research, interviews, and stories of lived experience, How We Show Up returns us to our inherent connectedness where we find strength, safety, and support in vulnerability and generosity, in asking for help, and in being accountable. Showing up-literally and figuratively-points us toward the promise of our collective vitality and leads us to the liberated wellbeing we all want.

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After almost every presentation I give to executives, think tanks, and policy makers, one of those leaders quietly confesses how much they long for the profound community I describes. They have family, friends, and colleagues, yet they still feel like they're standing alone. They're "winning" at the American Dream, but they're lonely, disconnected, and unsatisfied.

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Beyond Survival: Strategies and Stories from the Transformative Justice Movement

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Beyond Survival: Strategies and Stories from the Transformative Justice Movement

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Afraid to call 911, but not sure what to do instead? Here are strategies for accountability beyond the criminal justice system.

Transformative justice seeks to solve the problem of violence at the grassroots level, without relying on punishment, incarceration, or policing. Community-based approaches to preventing crime and repairing its damage have existed for centuries. However, in the putative atmosphere of contemporary criminal justice systems, they are often marginalized and operate under the radar. Beyond Survival puts these strategies front and center as real alternatives to today's failed models of confinement and "correction."

In this collection, a diverse group of authors focuses on concrete and practical forms of redress and accountability, assessing existing practices and marking paths forward. They use a variety of forms-from toolkits to personal essays-to delve deeply into the "how to" of transformative justice, providing alternatives to calling the police, ways to support people having mental health crises, stories of community-based murder investigations, and much more. At the same time, they document the history of this radical movement, creating space for long-time organizers to reflect on victories, struggles, mistakes, and transformations.

Featuring writing, tools and interviews by Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Kai Cheng Thom, Amita Swadhin, Audrey Huntley, Amanda Aguilar Shank, Janae E Bonsu of BYP100, Philly Stands Up (Esteban Kelly, Jenna Peters-Golden, Qui Dorian, Bench Ansfield and Beth Blum), Creative Interventions, Trans Lifeline, Bay Area Transformative Justice Collective, Oakland Power Projects, SOS Collective/Audre Lorde Project, Icarus Project/ Fireweed Collective, Raquel Lavina, Chris Lymbertos, RJ Maccani, Nathan Shara, Staci Haines, Georgia Latino Alliance For Human Rights, MIJENTE, Monica Sehovic Bowen Forrester, Elene Lam, Chanelle Gallant, Elisabeth Marie Long, adrienne maree brown, Adrian Cole, Yalini Dream, Shira Hassan, Mariame Kaba and Mimi Kim.

Ejeris Dixon is an organizer, consultant, and political strategist with twenty years of experience organizing within racial justice, LGBTQ, transformative justice, anti-violence, and economic justice movements. She is the Founding Director of Vision Change Win Consulting where she partners with organizations to build their capacity and deepen the impact of their organizing strategies. Her essay, "Building Community Safety: Practical Steps Toward Liberatory Transformation," is featured in the anthology Who Do You Serve, Who Do You Protect? Police Violence and Resistance in the United States.

Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha is the Lambda Award winning author of Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice, Dirty River: A Queer Femme of Color Dreaming Her Way Home, Bodymap, Love Cake, Consensual Genocide and co-editor of The Revolution Starts At Home: Confronting Intimate Violence in Activist Communities. A lead artist with the disability justice collective Sins Invalid, she is a longtime cultural worker, educator and organizer within disability and transformative justice communities.

Praise For Beyond Survival:

"Beyond Survival is a book for anyone yearning for transformation within themselves and across communities. If I had this book when I first began organizing, I would not have felt so alone and lost when seeking ways to confront conflict, harm and violence without policing and punishment. As our movements evolve, so must what we consider as essential reading - Beyond Survival is clearly essential reading." -Charlene A. Carruthers, author of Unapologetic: A Black, Queer and Feminist Mandate for Radical Movements

"Somewhere between a call to action, a love letter, and a prayer, Beyond Survival: Strategies and Stories from the TJ Moment is a gift to those of us working for justice. The voices in this collection are strong and compassionate, and their reflections are honest and open-hearted. Readers will feel challenged, inspired and held by this critically important book. It will surely inspire change." -Beth Richie, author of Arrested Justice: Black Women, Violence, and America's Prison Nation

"I've been waiting for this book for so many years. Gritty, unsentimental, blunt, compassionate, and visionary, the wildly varied voices, insights, and experiences collected in this exceptional - and essential - anthology help chart new pathways through the harms of violence in its interrelated interpersonal, vigilante, and structural forms. Appearing at precisely the moment we need them most, these visions, questions, and practices will stir your imagination, fuel your own radical dreams, and open your heart to the possibility of transformed futures for us all." -Kay Whitlock, author of Considering Hate: Violence, Goodness, and Justice in American Culture and Politics

"Beyond Survival arrives just on time. Through the combined brilliance of Ejeris Dixon and Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha we are offered a beautiful invitation: away from any quick and easy solutions that don't ever do what they purport and towards a fundamental rethinking of what safety is, and a lifetime practice learning, relearning and creating it through community with all the messiness it entails. This book is truly making the road by dreaming and I'm so grateful for it." Tourmaline, filmmaker, Happy Birthday, Marsha and Atlantic Is a Sea of Bones

"Beyond Survival is full of grounded, practical wisdom based in brave, thoughtful, collaborative efforts. It will be immensely useful to people trying to respond to the real crises our communities are facing with creative solutions that actually build healing and safety. This is the collection that so many of us have been waiting for, capturing the knowledge generated by grassroots experiments undertaken by bold, imaginative activists working to respond to and prevent violence. We will be using this as a reference book for building community responses to harm and violence for decades to come." -Dean Spade, author of Normal Life: Administrative Violence, Critical Trans Politics and the Limits of Law

"If you're serious about toppling the pillars of white supremacy in the United States, start by reading Beyond Survival ... Ejeris Dixon and Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha have provided a blueprint, featuring some of the brightest minds making transformative justice a reality. While many articles and essays have highlighted the "why" of transformative justice, the question of "how" persists. Now, Beyond Survival boldly answers. Ejeris and Leah, along with the featured writers, have propelled transformative justice into today's stagnant policy discourse ... With interviews, stories of success, and unadulterated realness, Beyond Survival shows us how to keep going, how to keep pressing forward, how to survive until we are beyond the injustices of today." -Eric Ward, Executive Director of the Western States Center and Civil Rights Strategist

"A unique contribution to an ongoing discussion about emerging Transformative Justice processes for building safe and equitable communities, especially in the context of the 'defund the police' movement. While municipalities across America struggle to respond to incidents of police brutality, Beyond Survival offers writings from three dozen TJ practitioners as well as a plethora of principles and examples of community practices for responding to violence without relying on police." - Toward Freedom

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Beyond Survival Afraid to call 911, but not sure what to do instead? Here are strategies for accountability beyond the criminal justice system. Transformative justice seeks to solve the problem of violence at the grassroots level, without relying on puni

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We Do This Till We Free Us: Abolitionist Organizing and Transforming Justice

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We Do This Till We Free Us: Abolitionist Organizing and Transforming Justice

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"Mariame Kaba is a humble phenom in the most important of traditions - abolition. What we have in these pages is a wide ranging account of abolitionist theory in action - and that is no easy feat. Through Kaba's rigorous commitment to humanity, we are reminded that another future is possible. We are fortunate that Kaba's praxis is accounted for in this compelling and incisive text. For those of us who are eager to bring about a world where Black lives matter, this is required reading." - Opal Tometi, Co-Founder #BlackLivesMatter and founder Diaspora Rising

"I want to say this is a 'generation-defining' book, but that feels wrong because I know it will be shaping political imaginations for a century or more. It's generations-defining. This is a classic in the vein of Sister Outsider, a book that will spark countless radical imaginations." - Eve L. Ewing, author, "Mariame Kaba's clarity, firm-but-gentle guidance, embracing spirit, deep creativity, and love of laughter, demonstrate how abolition is, in deed, presence. Thank goodness for this urgent book.""One of the most fascinating developments during this age of Black Lives Matter is how 'abolition' has been integrated into mainstream debates on how to change the United States. Yet there is still so much not known or understood about the history, politics and practice of abolition-informed politics. Longtime organizer and educator, Mariame Kaba, is one of the most important voices in the emergent abolitionist movement. We have all been waiting on this book! Kaba and her collaborators write with urgency, while imbuing critical insights with clarifying analyses into what it means to demand an end to the reflexive impulse toward punishment that defines much of our society." -Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor, author, From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation

"Much of the vast living archive that is Mariame Kaba's amazing career as an abolitionist-feminist organizer, people's intellectual, movement strategist, and Black freedom fighter, is not in written form. It is inscribed in her praxis: the many campaigns she has crafted, the young people she has mentored, and the organizations she has founded. But in this unique collection of essays, interviews and transcribed speeches, we get a glimpse of that brilliant and powerful body of work, and it is awe-inspiring and instructive: a must-read for anyone serious about the struggle for freedom and justice in the 21st century." - Barbara Ransby, historian, author, activist

"This book writes a political genealogy of one of our movement era's most significant intellectuals and community organizers and her people into the record of a feminist and abolitionist Black Radical Tradition. Kaba invites us all into a 500-year clock through reflection, assessment, and celebration of the people who dedicate their lives to social change. Yet again, she teaches us to praise the choir, appreciate vulnerability and be disciplined in service of transforming ourselves and the world in which we live." - Charlene A. Carruthers, author,"This is a long awaited book. For the throngs of people who have been inspired by Mariame Kaba's work, we now have - in one place - her words, her keen analysis of criminalization, her relentless critique of the carceral state and seemingly limitless optimism about the possibilities of social transformation. For anyone who has not yet been moved by her work, the search for a serious discussion of abolitionists organizing is over. At once an urgent call to action, a step-by-step guide to the practice of transformative justice, a collection of inspirational interviews and a few lighthearted reflections, this book will significantly advance radical justice work. We Do This 'Til We Free U s is just what we need and it has arrived right on time." - Beth Richie, author, Arrested Justice: Black Women, Violence, and America's Prison Nation

"Mariame Kaba isn't trying to save the world. Instead, this collection of liberatory practice serves as a building block for a new kind of existance, filled with the hum only evolved humanity can sound. Kaba returns questions unanswered; Kaba spirits the flame untethered; Kaba is the water well in the middle of a thirsty town. And in her unyielding abolition work, Mariame Kaba reveals our reflection's purpose. She is generous in offering us a blueprint to save ourselves." -Mahogany L. Browne, author, Chlorine Sky, Woke: A Young Poet's Call to Justice and an Art for Justice Bearing Witness Fellow

"So many of us have been introduced to abolition - or invited into a deeper understanding and practice of abolitionist politics - through Mariame Kaba's words, work, and vision, as well as her brilliant sense of humor, skillful use of Twitter, love of poetry, practice of hope, and appreciation of art. For those of us new to abolition, this book is the primer we need. For those of us who have been on an abolitionist journey, it is full of the reminders we need. No matter where and how you enter the conversation, We Do This 'Til We Free Us brings all of us infinitely closer to creating a world premised on genuine and lasting safety, justice, and peace." - Andrea J. Ritchie, author, "Mariame's book is a treasure. Beginning with a tribute to her father and her family's revolutionary roots in the struggle for the liberation of Guinea to the countless organizing campaigns that mark the small and large victories of the contemporary abolitionist movement in the U.S. - Mariame demonstrates the importance of history, the urgent need for abolition, and, most importantly, the possibilities for abolition in the here and now. This collection of articles and interviews educates, inspires, and sets the course for future abolitionist collective action. In page after page, Mariame offers her unique and brilliant combination of unrelenting realism and optimism, calling all of us to join in common struggle - one, she constantly reminds us, that we can and must win." -Mimi Kim

"Anyone and everyone who has had the privilege of learning from Mariame Kaba has been transformed into a better thinker, organizer, artist, and human. What Kaba does is light the path to abolition and liberation with equal parts intelligence and compassion, experience and hope. This book brings together the scattered pieces of her wisdom she has shared publicly in different venues so that those who don't have the pleasure of sitting and learning with her can absorb a small part of what makes Kaba one of the most impressive and important thinkers and organizers of our time. Let this work fortify those who are already engaged in the struggle and be an energetic spark for those just starting out on this path to freedom." -Mychal Denzel Smith, author, "Mariame has the rarest of gifts: the ability to imagine a better future, the skills to help construct it, and the courage to demand it. For years, Mariame has been thinking through some of the toughest questions about society's addiction to punishment, and We Do This Til We Free Us showcases the extraordinary depths of her knowledge about our criminal legal system. This book could not arrive at a better time -as more people become familiar with abolition, Mariame's words are especially critical. But it is not just a book about systems. It's a book about people, the powerful and the struggling. And, ultimately it is a book about each of us- the values we possess and the choices we make. Mariame has the uncanny ability to illuminate the murky and complicated elements of who we are and give them voice. As an abolitionist, Mariame is not just calling for the destruction of old systems, but the creation of a new world. This book will change the way you think about your community, your relationships, and yourself." - Josie Duffy Rice, writer

"Mariame Kaba is a people's historian, an ultra-practical problem solver, and a visionary prophet whose work dreams and builds a world made by collaboration and healing where putting people in cages is unimaginable. We Do This 'Til We Free Us is packed with Kaba's brilliant insights and detailed examples of how the work of abolition is put into practice in grassroots campaigns. Kaba's boundless creativity is rooted in her rigorous study of resistance and inspiration, and the wisdom of her words is woven through with poetry, literature, history and music, so that her offerings are both grounded in practical discernment and inclined toward our most robust imagination of what freedom could mean. This book will be both a practical tool and a source of comfort in hard times for change-makers and world-builders." - Dean Spade, author, "This suite of essays and interviews blends the verve, insight, skill, and generosity of one of the most brilliant abolitionist thinkers, curators, and organizers of our time. Marked by lush imagination, care, and strategic acumen, We Do This 'Til We Free Us is a manual for all those who want to create new collectivities and new futures from the ashes of entire systems of carcerality, racism, sexism, and capitalism. Always teaching us how to 'have each other,' there is no wiser or more inspirational figure in the fight for justice than Mariame Kaba." - Sarah Haley, author, "We Do This 'Til We Free Us is an organizer's gift: a vision of abolition that is also a practice of it and a roadmap. Essay by essay, Mariame Kaba guides us through the abolitionist futures she has created in real time by turning questions into experiments, learning from failures as much as successes, and doing everything with other people. Let her words radicalize you, let them unlock your imagination, let them teach you how to practice hope, and let them show you why the everyday is the terrain of our greatest abolitionist creations. We Do This 'Til We Free Us is not a book to be read; it is a portal to a collective project of liberation that literally requires every last one of us." - Laura McTighe, Front Porch Research Strategies and Assistant Professor, Florida State University

"In her new book, We Do This 'Til We Free Us Mariame Kaba demonstrates the ways that discipline-in intellect, in practice, in relationship-leads not to despair, but to hope. The far-ranging series of essays and interviews draws on her deep practice as a seasoned organizer who persistently distills the questions surrounding abolition to basic human decisions about the world we want to inhabit and how we will go about building it. Abolition, as Mariame sees and practices, is fundamentally both generous and pragmatic and her writing will move both seasoned abolitionists and those just now asking these questions for the first time to join in her conclusion that 'your cynicism is unrealistic." -Danielle Sered, author, "Mariame's wisdom trues my restorative justice compass. The restorative justice movement has much to learn from Mariame's steadfast commitment to protecting our approaches to harm and healing from state cooptation and control. Her unwavering belief in 'we got us' offers powerful inspiration to imagine, ground, and elevate our practice. What a gift!" - sujatha baliga, Restorative Justice Practitioner

"The intertwined analysis and collective organizing archived in this invaluable collection provides crucial entry points in the everyday work of abolition. Engaging the most pressing questions of our time with clarity and commitment, as always, Mariame makes abolition irresistible, and as imperatively, doable." - Erica R. Meiners, author, "Working through a range of concepts and struggles - from the criminalization of self-defense to what is needed to inspire our imaginations toward abolition - We Do This 'Til We Free Us truly demonstrates Mariame Kaba's teachings that 'hope is a discipline.' With this book Kaba brings with her a community of organizers, workers and writers to show us how abolition is a practice and to guide our actions for liberation." -Simone Browne, author, Dark Matters: On the Surveillance of Blackness

"For the last 25 years, prison abolitionists have been treated like the Don Quixote's of social justice movements, chasing an impossibly unrealistic vision. In We Do This 'Til We Free Us, Kaba demonstrates through her work as an organizer and scholar, that putting an end to the carceral state is not only necessary but possible. This collection offers a remarkable history of abolitionist organizing, and a roadmap for the work we must do to make a new world and transform ourselves in the process." - Kenyon Farrow, Co-Executive Director, Partners for Dignity & Rights

"We Do This 'Til We Free Us is a beacon, a watch fire, a guidepost for all of us who are seeking transformational and life-giving change in a death-dealing society, Mariame Kaba is a force of nature, unafraid to step into great storms of violence. As this long-awaited collection of abolitionist essays, interviews, and conversations demonstrates, Kaba knows that relationships are at the center of everything; that new possibilities and insights arise from the organized efforts of ordinary people; that only collective endeavor can move us forward. This isn't simply a book. It's a portal." - Kay Whitlock, co-author "Mariame Kaba's We Do This 'Til We Free Us exudes her brilliance as an organizer, educator, and visionary. A primer in abolition as an organizing vision, strategy and practice, this collection of essays is rooted in a structural analysis of policing, incarceration, and surveillance while uplifting collective strategies, actions, and practices that lend themselves toward ending these systems. The collection shares some of the amazing abolitionist projects she's initiated, organized, and nurtured, and is a testament to the power of collectivity and community. This is a book for those who have never thought about abolition and for those who have thought about it for years. Through the lens Mariame Kaba offers, the possibilities for abolition become quite tangible, possible, even inevitable." Ann Russo, author, "If ever there was a time we needed Mariame Kaba's words and insights all in one place, it is now! Principled, pragmatic and, most of all, visionary, We Do This 'Til We Free Us not only casts an unflinching light on our violent carceral system, but illuminates real pathways towards justice and freedom. This book should be read, studied, and acted upon by everyone committed to seeding new worlds amidst the ruins of the old." Ruha Benjamin, Princeton University

"We Do This Til We Free Us'' is a series of essays that operate as gifts, reflections, and political interventions from the humbly prolific organizer Mariame Kaba. Whether contending with abolitionist organizing, the application of transformative justice, or relationships as survival, she creates necessary guideposts for all of us. This is a deliciously nuanced read, one that you will pick up multiple times, and receive something new each time. And, this is a book designed to accompany your political endeavors, inspiring you to deepen your activism and organizing, and insisting that you, alongside Mariame, have a place in the creation of a more liberatory society." - Ejeris Dixon, organizer, strategist, facilitator, and co-editor of "Brimming with organizing insights and burning questions, this collection is a must-read for those engaged in or looking to learn more about the movement to abolish the prison-industrial complex. We Do This 'Til We Free Us so clearly and beautifully shows us that the road to abolition is paved in collective struggle, solidarity, accountability, love, and 'a million different little experiments.'" - Emily Thuma, author,"This long-awaited collection of the works of Mariame Kaba is what the movement for abolition needs right now. Kaba blends radical critique, historical analysis, ground theory and practical application to help guide organizers building an abolitionist future. There are very few scholars and/or organizers who are able to seamlessly bring abolitionist and transformative justice theory with practical organizing strategies as Kaba so successfully does. Kaba's essays also demonstrate the transformation our movements need to make so that they are guided by principles of love and care that can sustain our communities into a different world. She teaches how to build the discipline necessary so that we can be guided by hope rather than despair. Kaba's work is a true gift to the movement." - Andrea Smith, Professor of Ethnic Studies, University of California, Riverside

"Mariame Kaba is a political genius and truth-teller for our times, as an abolitionist, political organizer, educator, and writer, she is audacious in her dreams for our Black future freedoms. This book says what needs to be said in this political moment as we reckon with abolition in response to police brutality, white supremacy, and a pandemic that is disproportionately killing People of Color globally. Each chapter is a beautiful and archival testimonial to the lineage of Black organizing, especially Black feminists, that have led us to this political and cultural moment of mass uprisings creating resilient, abolitionist, and transformative strategies in the face of police brutality, massive incarceration, and the genocidal state response to COVID19. We Do This 'Til We Free Us is a remedy for our collective survival, and a manifesto for responding to harms and violence for our future." - Cara Page, founder of Changing Frequencies

"Mariame Kaba's We Do This 'Til We Free Us is a treasure trove of essays and interviews which shares her knowledge, insights, and wisdom developed over decades of organizing against the prison industrial complex and supporting survivors of violence. In this book, Kaba recounts scores of campaigns, projects, collaborations, and activists that brought us to historic moments in 2020 and beyond, and provides concrete steps people can take on the path to abolition. A brilliant organizer, educator, political theorist, and preeminent abolitionist of the 21st century, Kaba succinctly breaks down the anti-Black foundations of the U.S. criminal legal system and makes the case for abolition and transformative justice. This book is a must read for anyone striving for more peace and justice in this world." - Joey Mogul, co-author, Queer (In)Justice: The Criminalization of LGBT People in the United States"This collection of writings embodies Mariame's gifts to the abolitionist movement, not only in content but in format. As readers, we are invited into the conversations Kaba has been having for decades as she lifts up countless stories that belong to the larger movement of which she is an essential leader. We are offered Mariame's personal and also collaborative writing that highlights a central message running throughout the book; we will not achieve liberation alone. While there are no blueprints for abolition, this text is a guiding light that offers crucial answers and an expansive invitation for all to join in the work." Rev. Jason Lydon, Second Unitarian Church of Chicago

"We Do This 'Til We Free Us outlines an approach to transformative politics that we have been hungry for: brilliant strategies that are at once practical and prophetic. For decades, Mariame Kaba's pathbreaking leadership has steered us towards a horizon of radical freedom that, as she has repeatedly demonstrated, is within our reach. This remarkable collection is a powerful map for anyone who longs for a future built on safety, community, and joy, and an intellectual home for those who are creating new pathways to get us there." - Alisa Bierria, co-founder and co-organizer, Survived and Punished

"Mariame Kaba's living example continuously teaches me that accountability and abolition are daily internal and external practices. We Do This 'Til We Free Us is both timely and timeless. This compelling collection is an offering of Kaba's thoughtful experiential perspectives and insights about the strenuous, compassionate, and rewarding work to not harm in response to witnessing and/or experiencing harm. Kaba's words are a sacred roadmap for an embodied praxis that invites all of us to imagine, envision, and work collectively to co-create a society without violence." - Aishah Shahidah Simmons, creator, NO! The Rape Documentary and author,"We Do This 'Til We Free Us has so much wisdom to offer, particularly at this unprecedented moment. Kaba not only challenges the corrosive notions that only policing and prisons keep us safe, but invites us to see abolition not as a far-away goal, but an everyday adventure that we can embark upon in our daily lives. Mariame Kaba is a galactic treasure. Her passion, dedication and commitment to abolition, safety and accountability are unparalleled. Read this book." - Victoria Law, author, "Mariame Kaba is one of the foremost grassroots intellectuals of our time. She is a strategic, brilliant and practical genius whose intellectual and on-the-ground-work is foundational to the past twenty years of transformative justice and abolitionist theory and practice. She's someone whose work I urge anyone to read who is curious about exactly why and how we are going to dismantle prisons and build the different future we need. I am so happy to have this book in the world, collecting so many of my favorite pieces, to give to new and old comrades alike." - Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, author, "The miracle is Mariame's collaborative, accountable, future-facing, legacy-bearing presence in our movements and her intentional practice of evaluating how she can contribute to our collective future. This book, which documents some of Kaba's most important interventions, crucial conversations and paradigm shifting ideas makes this ongoing miracle shareable, teachable, and available for study in community. We Do This 'Til We Free Us is a necessary offering towards the possibility of our intentional participation in the actions that will create a more loving and live-able world. Read this book, hold this archive, share this journey, to nurture your own presence, practice and collaborations towards the freedom we already deserve." - Alexis Pauline Gumbs, author,"Beautiful and timely, We Do This 'Til We Free Us is more than a book. It is a gathering: a conversation, a coming together, a call to be not only our best selves, but together in struggle. It is a how-to gift for all who believe in freedom from violence. In a wide ranging series of essays, interviews, and speeches, inveterate organizer Mariame Kaba shares strategic wisdom from the abolitionist frontlines. Read it, pass it on, and get to work!" - Dan Berger, author, Rethinking the American Prison Movement

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New York Times Bestseller "Organizing is both science and art. It is thinking through a vision, a strategy, and then figuring out who your targets are, always being concerned about power, always being concerned about how you're going to actually build power in order to be able to push your issues, in order to be able to get the target to actually move in the way that you want to."

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Do you have a few goals that you really want to achieve?

One strategy that can make that happen is to make a vision board.

I'm sure you've heard of people creating vision boards to help motivate and inspire action toward meeting the desired outcome in their life. Some even hold vision board parties to make it a more social event.

When vision boards first became popular, I didn't think it was something that was really up my alley; however, once I saw a close friend's vision board, I figured I would give it a try.

While the result of my first vision board did serve as an effective constant reminder of my goals at the time, the process of creating it forced me to really think about what I want out of life and then take the extra step of recording it by including it on my vision board.

Remember- you're 1.2 to 1.4 times more likely to achieve your goal if you commit to it in writing, so taking this minimal extra step is worth the trouble.

So, in this article, you will discover a simple five-step process to create your own vision board and use it to achieve the important goals in your life.

But first, let's talk a bit more about what a vision board is and why it's so important to have one whenever you're working toward a life goal.

What Is a Vision Board (and Why Is It Important)?

A vision board (or mood board) is a self-made and powerful tool that you use to formulate, define, and maintain focus on a goal that you have for yourself. Your vision board will end up being unique to you and can be any type of board that you use to display text and images representing the things you want to be, accomplish, or have in your life.

You may be wondering,

"So why is it important to turn my goals into...an art project?"

Valid question. Simply put, the majority of us are extremely busy. We all have distractions-some welcomed and some not-and sometimes our goals get put on the backburner. But by creating and using a vision board, you're:

Identifying and giving clarity to a long-term vision for your life

Fortifying your positive intentions to follow through with your goals

Committing to staying focused

If you're someone who likes to create SMART goals, then you understand the need to have clarity when it comes to defining what you want in life. Your goals are supposed to be Specific, so you know where to focus your efforts and when the goal has been accomplished.
Example:
Not Specific: I want to be a leader.

Specific: I will complete a class on public speaking by May 15th, 2022, to improve my confidence when talking in front of a crowd. Following the class, I will use deliberate practice every day to continue to gain a necessary sense of confidence so I will be viewed as a leader and considered for a management position.

How to Make a Vision Board

When creating a vision board for a goal such as this, you would want to add pictures that will allow you to visualize your success.

This picture would be relevant for this type of vision board as it shows a confident person speaking to a captivated audience:

When you look at this picture on your vision board, you can visualize yourself being up front talking to that group of people with the same confidence the person in the picture seemingly has.

Keep in mind, the good thing about making your vision board is that you're in control, and you can pick any pictures that speak to you and your goals.

Once you've created your vision board, you will end up with a visual representation that you can keep in front of you every day to remind you of your 'why' and what you're working toward. This visual tool can be especially helpful on those challenging days that make you want to throw in the towel.

Because we are such visual beings, having this constant and concrete reminder of where you're trying to go in life will help you maintain motivation and inspire you to take daily action to move closer to reaching your biggest and most important goals in life.

So now, let's go through the process of making a vision board. Hopefully, following these steps will prevent you from making vision board mistakes that could hurt your goal-setting efforts.

Step #1: Collect Your Vision Board Supplies

There are a few things to keep in mind before you get started. First, remember that the purpose of your vision board is to give life to everything that's on it. You want to feel an emotional connection with whatever image you include so that when you look at it, you will feel what you want for the future rather than merely seeing a 2D picture.

Secondly, it's up to you if you want to create one big vision board for your whole life or break it down into several mini boards to cover the seven areas such as your relationships, profession, family, personal development, spirituality, social life, and health.

Another idea (because every area of your life is interlinked with the others) is to create one main vision board and then have some smaller "theme" boards for things like an upcoming vacation or a board that focuses on a major project at work.

Okay, to get started on a physical vision board, you will need up to eight types of supplies:

And if you want to get a detailed explanation behind the importance of each item, then read our article on the eight vision board supplies you might need.

Or, if you're the digital vision board type, all you will need is one of these 11 online vision board apps or websites. Our favorite is the Canva Pro tool. ( Check out this guide on how to create your vision board using Canva.)

Canva or Google images offers free photos you can use for your vision board online. You can even utilize a search function to find the best pictures to align with your goals. Once done, you can save your virtual vision board as the background on your computer, or you can print it out.

Finally, don't worry about looking for the "perfect" vision board item. The most important thing here is just getting started and getting it done. This step doesn't have to be difficult or tedious, and it also doesn't have to cost a lot of money. You may already have several of the necessary supplies on hand.

Step #2: Identify Your Goal(s)

What do you want to focus on with this board?

If you've chosen to focus on one specific area of your life, write down some adjectives that describe how you want to feel when you look at the board.

If you're unsure about what direction you want to go with your vision board, think about your values, skills, and interests, and ask yourself a few questions:

What things in the past have influenced your beliefs and behavior?

What do you enjoy doing, and what are you good at?

Can you find a connection between the activities you enjoy, your skills, and your values?

Can you leverage any of your skills to help benefit your future?

If you're still stuck after answering these questions, then check out this list of 100 personal core values to focus on.

Start by setting goals based on the most important values to you, and then dig a bit deeper.For example, if you want to lose weight, how do you envision your life-changing once the weight is lost? Or, if you want to make a lot of money, what will you do with that money to improve your life?

Finally, once you've identified a few goals, put them into a SMART goal format. This video can show you how to do that (and it has 21 examples):

As you move closer to your vision, what adjustments need to be made?

Now that you have identified the goals you want to achieve, it is important to understand that these goals may change, and you may need to make adjustments as time goes on. If something changes, remember, your vision board isn't exactly set in stone. Feel free to edit things as needed.

You can cover up old pictures with new pictures, add new goals, and think about what you want to change. Your vision board reflects your positive emotions, feelings, dreams and is a visual representation of everything that inspires you. Have a dream or goal for several aspects of your life and think about the direction you want your life to take next.

Step #3: Prepare and Organize Your Vision Board

Set aside a reasonable amount of time (maybe two hours) to work on your vision board. But don't rush it-doing so can defeat the purpose of creating a vision board altogether. After all, when we rush through life, we lose touch with what we reallywant. Do your best to ensure that this time is uninterrupted so you can focus on the task at hand.

Get started by preparing a folder (digital or physical) that holds a collection of pictures, quotes, affirmations, thoughts, photos, etc., representing your major goals or some element of your vision. Gather anything that represents the feelings or experiences you want to attract into your life.

One good strategy is to find free printables that can enhance the messaging of your goals. So check out this article that lists 31 free vision board printables.

Of course, you can go through magazines to look for pictures or even use some vision board printables, but it may be more effective to do some image searches on Google because you want your vision board to be very specific-you don't want to settle for a picture from a magazine that's close enough.

Here is a great video that can walk you through the Google image search process:

Pro Tip: You should end up with way more material than you will actually use, which is good because you can pick and choose a few concise options rather than having a crowded board that ends up becoming its own distraction. You can always save extra material for later use.

Be very selective about what you choose to put on your vision board.

Because your vision board should represent how you want your future self to feel, you don't want to focus exclusively on stuff (e.g., pictures). Rather, you will want to add descriptive words, sayings, and quotes to your vision board that describes feelings. Some examples could be:

If you get stuck, here is an article with 45 printable quotes you can use on a vision board.

Another strategy is to add words such as these to your board by simply writing them or finding them in a magazine/on the internet and attaching them to the board. You can also add positive affirmations to help you get rid of that little voice inside your head that often feeds your limiting beliefs and makes you feel incapable of doing something.

Finally, you want to get a general idea of what you want the board to look like as you're picking out pictures. You may want to stick with a certain color scheme or other design trends (or you may not), and you will want to be conscious of the size of the board that you've chosen.

Step #4: Create Your Layout

Once you're all set with your materials, the next step is to lay everything out in a way that's visually pleasing to you. As you're creating structure, it might be a good idea to separate spaces on the board (just draw a line or circle) if you're planning to do a "whole life" vision board that will feature a variety of aspects of your life.

Pro Tip #1: Make sure to write the specific goal in its assigned area if you do this, as this will help you stay organized as you're making your layout. You can digitally separate the sections if you're making a digital vision board.

Pro Tip #2:Designate the amount of space for each goal if you're putting multiple goals on one board and be strategic about their placements. So, you may want to give your more important goals more space and put them front and center and move your relatively less important goals out to the side.

During this step, you will eliminate some pictures you had previously chosen, and you will likely look for additional pictures as your vision board starts coming together and your thoughts begin to expand.

Trim down your pictures and start layering your quotes and sayings over relevant images. Keep moving things around and trimming your images until it feels about right.

Pro Tip #3:Leave a bit of extra space to give yourself some additional room to work. Your vision board will expand. This will happen not only as you're working on it but also once you think it's complete. Make sure to take this into account before you cram too many things into one small area.

Here is an example of the process of creating a layout for your vision board.

More Ideas for Your Vision Board

Vision boarding is a great way to motivate you to follow through with your goal setting and start dreaming up more. Your vision board should contain things that inspire you and motivate you toward your ideal life, like financial goals, career goals, inspiring quotes, illustrations, positive affirmations, and purpose statements, just to name a few.

Also, if you're stuck on what these vision boards should look like, then be sure to check out these two blog posts:

1. 51 Vision Board Ideas for Your Important Goals

2. 25 Vision Board Template to Map Your Goals

And if you're looking for specific examples, here is a list of posts that focus on specific types of vision boards:

Step #5: Finalize Your Vision Board

Once you're happy with your vision board's look, attach all of your materials to your board. All you need to do now is determine where you want to hang your board so you'll be able to see it multiple times a day.

As you can see from these examples, there is no limit to what your vision board should or could look like. You'll notice some are small, and the images are laid out very close together like in this example:

Some are more abstract and casual, like this one:

And some are huge:

What your vision board ends up looking like in the end shouldn't matter to anyone but you. This is your vision and your board. Lay out how you want your vision board to look before gluing things down.

Step #6: See and Believe Your Goals

Finally, have to go beyond identifying your goals. You need to really believe in yourself and claim your goals as things you will achieve because your thoughts create your reality.

Get into the mindset of expecting success to be inspired as you look at your completed vision board, and you will feel a sense of motivation to act on those feelings of inspiration moving forward.

We suggest that you look at and review your vision board at least two times a day - once in the morning and once in the evening.

If you feel stuck in this area, here is a great video on how to get rid of self-doubt and move forward with a sense of conviction.

One Main Vision Board or Many?

A big question people often ask is if they should make one big vision board that includes everything or make several for different areas of their life. There really is no right or wrong way to create your vision board. If it makes more sense for YOU to have more than one, then go for it!

Just don't get too overwhelmed by having too many boards. If you make more than one, perhaps you can have a career-oriented vision board you can hang at your office desk or frame to remind you of your career-focused goals.

Updating Your Vision Board

As we already mentioned, your vision board will likely change as you progress. Our recommendation is to leave some space on your vision board, so you have room to add things as you go. You can also create an entirely new board each year to better reflect your new goals and aspirations for the upcoming year.

If you have a big life change during the year, you may also consider redoing your board, especially if your goals no longer align and do not feel relevant anymore.

Do Vision Boards Work?

Yes! There is tons of research showing that vision boards really do work. Even Psychology Today has reported that athletes who used vision boards to visualize their training received just about the same benefits as those who physically undertook the exercises.

However, it is also important to remember that these visualization techniques will only work if you actually do the work to get there. Vision boarding can prove to be a powerful tool as long as you do the work.

Final Thoughts on How to Make a Vision Board

Once you have envisioned something, it's time to start believing it and making it happen. Vision boards help you do this because they take your dreams and turn them into a tangible item. As you look at your vision board every day, you will notice that certain things remain prominent while others start to fall by the wayside.
You may start to realize that you don't care about one thing as much as you once thought, but there is something that excites you every time you reflect on it.
For your vision board to be effective, you have to engage with it and allow it to guide your actions toward achieving your goals. Your vision board will act as a constant reminder of where you want to be, so as you're in the process of creating it, be intentional about what you choose to put on there.

Now, if you want to take this concept to the next level, one way to do that is to host a vision board party, which we show you how to do in this article.

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How to Make a Vision Board [The Ultimate 6-Step Guide]

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Do you have a few goals that you really want to achieve? One strategy that can make that happen is to make a vision board. I'm sure you've heard of people creating vision boards to help motivate and inspire action toward meeting the desired outcome in their life.