The separation many of us experienced throughout 2020 and much of the following years, solidified this intangible yet tangible need for community.

I am grateful to all of you, my amazing muses, who support this brand, and who read this newsletter each week.  Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this community.

This week's affirmation is…

I Deserve Community

Je Mérite La Communauté

At Je Mérite, we believe that community is not just a nice-to-have; it's a fundamental need that enriches our lives in countless ways. Whether it's finding support during challenging times, celebrating our successes, or simply sharing a laugh with like-minded individuals, the power of community is undeniable.

But what does it mean to deserve community?

It means recognizing your inherent worth and understanding that you have a valuable contribution to make. It means embracing your uniqueness and finding others who appreciate and celebrate it. It means creating connections that uplift and inspire you, and in turn, doing the same for others.

Remember, you are not alone on this journey. Whether you're a part of our Je Mérite community or forging connections elsewhere, know that you are valued, appreciated, and deserving of the love and support.

Here's to finding your tribe, embracing the power of community, and creating a life filled with connection and belonging.

*All photos are links to more information. The bookshop.org link is an affiliate link

A great jumping off point, as always, is a mindset shift.  Shifting to a deeper stronger community based mindset.

When Self-Care Turns Into Community Care

from Healthline.com

Self-care has become a buzzword, a mantra, and a commodity over the past few years. The upside is that people are learning to take responsibility for their own well-being in a variety of ways.

Self-care is work, and it puts the onus on the individual to ensure their own health and well-being are prioritized. Unfortunately, it’s often oversimplified.

Self-care can be reduced to a feel-good activity that can be part of the work, but as a one-off activity, it can never be enough to sustain people. On top of that, the people with the greatest need often don’t have the support necessary for true self-care.

Many are busy caring for others. People experiencing poverty may not have the resources to participate in self-care rituals. Those working multiple jobs don’t have the time for anything “extra.”

A shift to community care is necessary.

Next, an fantastic podcast

Episode 79 - The Power of Healing Through Community with The Unplug Collective

from The Feeling Lighter Podcast

Joined by The Unplug Collective, The Feeling Lighter Podcast hosts share their powerful journey of creating a safe community for honest conversations around body image, mental health, and eating disorders.

Discussed in this episode is the importance of vulnerability, putting faces and stories to experiences often misunderstood, and providing a platform where people can share their truths without judgment or the pressure to make sweeping statements.

Next, a bonus podcast from Balanced Black Girl

Healing Through Community: Why You Don’t Need to Be Fully Healed to Be Loved

For many of us, hurt oftentimes happens in relationships with other people. Therefore, healing needs to happen in community as well.

In this solo episode, Les Alfred examines why being in community is such a significant, effective healing modality, why we don’t need to be perfectly healed to be loved, and ways we can cultivate healing in our immediate and broader communities.

Next, a beautiful memoir that really hit home.

This emotionally powerful memoir is a must-read by Christie Tate

Group: How One Therapist and a Circle of Strangers Saved My Life

The refreshingly original and "startlingly hopeful" (Lisa Taddeo) debut memoir of an over-achieving young lawyer who reluctantly agrees to group therapy and gets psychologically and emotionally naked in a room of six complete strangers--and finds human connection, and herself.

Lastly, time to mix it up a bit, two drastically different film suggestions...

One a family film, the other, not so much

Monkey Man

starring Dev Patel, Sharlto Copley, and Pitobash

A young man ekes out a meager living in an underground fight club where, night after night, wearing a gorilla mask, he's beaten bloody by more popular fighters for cash. After years of suppressed rage, he discovers a way to infiltrate the enclave of the city's sinister elite.

As his childhood traumaboils over, his mysteriously scarred hands unleash an explosive campaign of retribution to settle the score with the men who took everything from him.

Coco

starring Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, and Benjamin Bratt

Meet Miguel, whose love of singing takes him on a fantastical journey that reunites him with his ancestors, local customs, and the strength of following one’s true calling, even though his family has prohibited music for generations.

Despite his family’s best efforts to protect him from alleged past wrongs, Miguel finds that music has created an unseen community that has supported him through difficult family dynamics, time, and death. Miguel’s family is united and community customs are revitalized by accepting his musical gifts.

Coco creatively illustrates how cultural ties foster our identities when customs, despite being occasionally forgotten, continue to unite generations via a sense of shared identity.

"Community is not an ideal; it is people. It is you and I. In community we are called to love people just as they are with their wounds and their gifts, not as we want them to be."

Jean Vanier

as always, affirmations from previous weeks are available here

you'll be hearing more from me soon. Promise.

tamara charese