Synopsis

There is no shortage of self-care and wellness tips. Yet, many people, especially women of color, find themselves not practicing self-care, which is contributing to burnout and elevated stress levels. This issue was so important that the CDC released guidance urging women, a large number who are caregivers, to take care of themselves during the pandemic. Are women doomed to an exhausted fate? Absolutely not.

In my book, I guide readers through a simple process that will help them to finally prioritize self-care in their everyday lives. It is easy to find ideas for self-care online, but creating a sustainable practice around these self-care practices is much more difficult. I present readers with a four-step reflection that will empower them to make self-care a reality all the time and improve their well-being and creative capacity in the process.

The reflection is guided by the following questions: 1. What beliefs are keeping me from taking care of myself? There are limiting beliefs and narratives that can make someone feel guilty for practicing self-care. Some of these beliefs come from society and are rooted in racism and sexism and must be examined. 2. What type of self-care do you really crave? It is important to understand the various types of self-care so that self-care practices are relevant to your needs. 3.How can I infuse self-care with play? Adulting makes us so serious that we stop having fun, which can cause self-care practices to get boring. There are many ways to make play a part of self-care. The play has so many benefits and can lead to powerful self-care practices 4. How can I stay curious about myself? What changes do I need to make as a result of this curiosity? You have to give yourself permission to change self-care practices at different phases and cycles in life (ie job transition; age; seasonal cycles, etc)

I know how difficult it can be to practice self-care consistently. I have suffered burnout many times having quit jobs in education and the nonprofit sector prematurely over the past decade. After realizing it wasn't the job, I had to dig deeper into why it was so hard to take care of myself. I had to examine feelings of unworthiness that made me feel like I couldn't prioritize my self-care. I also have a unique perspective as a Black woman since societal biases and prejudices strongly influence how one thinks about their life in relation to self-care. Doing this reflective work made my self-care feel like less of a chore and something I could do all of the time without any guilt. From this passion, I have written about self-care and mindfulness on my own site and others such as 30seconds.com and Thrive Global. During the pandemic, I began hosting virtual micro-retreats for a variety of audiences (school staff, freelance collectives; and Unbothered Black Girl Collective, which I founded in 2019.) As a result, I have hosted virtual wellness events for hundreds of participants. The micro-retreats have been safe spaces for women (and some men ) to think about their self-care practices in a more creative, joyful way. In addition to having degrees in Psychology and Teaching, I am a Chopra Health Instructor,

Sales arguments

• In 2014, the self care industry had estimated value of 10 billion. By the end of 2020, it increased to 450 billion
• Social Media: IG (@kandicecole) 672 followers; Facebook personal: 1,066 friends (https://www.facebook.com/kandice.n.cole); LinkedIn (500+ connections); Unbothered Black Girl Collective Newsletter has 100 subscribers--many who represent larger organizations
• Featured on Black Women CEO Podcast
• Contributor to 30 seconds, Thrive Global, and Code Burnout
• Personal network: Narrative 4, where I worked as a program manager; Shantera Chatman, president of PowHer Consulting. I will be speaking at her retreat for Black women executives https://www.theherwayretreat.com/; University of Chicago Alumni Network; Whine and Cheese. I am a purpose partner: https://foreverywhine.org/;

Similar titles

• Atomic Habits by James Clear, Avery, Oct. 16, 2018: Similar in that my book also focuses on daily routine around self care; different in that my focus is on self care, not goals related to work, etc.
• Self Love Workbook for Women, Megan Logan, Rockridge, Sept 29, 2020: Similar in that it focuses on women and how they can build self care habits. Different in that my book has more stories of my own personal reflection, rather than being more focused on prompts
• Good Vibes, Good Life, Vex King, Hay House UK, Dec 4, 2018; Similar in that it has some focus on self care, but different in that my book is less about manifestation and positive thinking

Audience

Professional women, specifically women of color, between ages of 30-50