Existing in harmful environments for too long can stifle us in so many ways. They can impact our relationships, work productivity, and overall satisfaction. Even more importantly, it can impact our physical and mental health. One of the best things we can do for ourselves is learning ourselves so well that we know how to navigate these harmful spaces.In this episode of Notes To Our Younger Selves, Nico and Drey switch up the format and do a resource sharing episode with examples of how we’ve used the steps we share to navigate harmful environments. Starting with a question around extending grace to others, we talk about how our own projections can hinder progress. We share about how we’ve used our bodies to navigate spaces, particularly one where you might be the minority in a particular identity. From there we share five steps you can use today to navigate harmful environments you might be in. We share examples of our experiences as leaders in the education and human resources industries as well as what we have learned from them as a way others can take similar actions or learn from mistakes we’ve made. We end the episode talking about how this topic consistently impacts black and brown folxs because of the design of the society we live in.In this episode, you’ll learn:How your body can guide you towards wellness

Navigating spaces where you are the only one

Five ways to navigate harmful environments

How you can use resources at your disposal

The pressure on black and brown folxs in certain harmful environments

Questions answered:Where is one area of your life where you could exhibit more grace for other people?

How have you determined if a particular environment was harmful?

What is an example of a trigger that you’ve had to work through

What is an example of a boundary you’ve had to set and how did the process go for you?

What’s one thing you would tell the version of yourself that’s living in a harmful environment?