Mental Health & Wellness for Queer Creators

The internet keeps telling us to "optimize" while our nervous systems scream for a nap. I built a weekly check-in that keeps Gay Men’s Field Guide humming without sacrificing the queer community it serves.

Step 1: Name the weight

Every Sunday I list what’s heavy—budget anxieties, hateful legislation, grief. Seeing the list on paper keeps it from living in my chest.

Step 2: Phone a friend on purpose

Isolation fuels burnout. I schedule one call with another queer creator, not to collaborate but to listen. We swap coping playlists, send dog photos, and remind each other that slow growth is still growth.

Step 3: Move like joy is inevitable

Whether it’s a slow run by Lake Erie or dancing in my kitchen, I force the body to move. Creativity follows motion.

Step 4: Audit the inputs

If a social feed spikes anxiety, I mute it. If a subscription doesn’t nourish the work, it goes. Making room for better inputs is an act of mental hygiene.

Queer wellness isn’t bubble baths and manifesting. It’s community care, boundaries, and rituals that make long-term activism possible.