Jasika Nicole plays Dr. Carly Lever on the hit ABC show “The Good Doctor,” which follows the journey of Dr. Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore) as he navigates the unique demands of being a surgeon with autism. We were so excited to talk with Jasika about what self-care means to her, some of the lessons she’s learning, and the passions placed on her heart, all of which are so powerful.

What is one lesson you are currently learning?

There are so many! One of the most difficult ones right now is learning to slow down, truly listen to other people, and process their words before reacting. Sometimes my projections or my big emotions can get in the way of fully understanding what someone is trying to communicate. I’m learning that if I come from a place of non-judgement and thoughtfulness, the resulting interaction is usually much more productive and peaceful.

If there’s one thing you could tell your younger self, what would it be?

That all of the things she is trying to hide about herself as a teenager will be the exact same ones that she will be celebrating about herself with wild abandon in the future! Her shame will be transformed into love, into community, and into art.

What does self-care mean to you?

We talk a lot about self-care these days, when we need it, why we need it, what it looks like, what it feels like. I think there is a tendency to define self-care as “treating” ourselves, and while that may sometimes ring true, for me a better description of self-care is to make sure we are fed. What part of us is hungry, is it our soul, our spirit, our emotional self? What does it want to eat? How full can we get it? Using my hands has been the most joyful way I’ve found to feed myself over all my decades on this earth. It feeds my creativity, allows my brain space to be still, or to wander, reminds me that I am capable and powerful, shifts my attention to my body and its movements. I’ve always considered knitting in particular to be a meditative practice, each needle clicking against the other in rhythm, so much like the repetition of breath- it makes sense that I feel at peace whenever I run my fingers over a skein of yarn! The fibers and the dye, the purls lined up on metal needles, the pattern I follow — it’s all just spoonfuls of warmth and clarity and calm filling me up and then shining back out again through the tips of my fingers, my thumbs. When we nourish not only our bodies, but also our invisible parts, the parts of us that might not be seen but can always be felt, this is when we build our own safety, create our own freedom, find our own trust. Making this time and space to care for ourselves, can sometimes take a lot of work and require a lot of attention and effort. Sometimes the mere concept can feel overwhelming. But never forget that we will always be worth it. Always.

What are some of the passions and issues close to your heart?

I am currently feeling a lot of passion and support for all the amazing fat activists who are working to dismantle fatphobia and educate people like me who have been ignorant of its existence for so long. I am working to unravel my own fatphobia while understanding where it comes from (it’s rooted in anti-blackness), and getting better at shutting down fatphobic comments and negative body talk when I hear it around me. I am becoming that annoying friend who won’t let you say things like “doughnuts are bad” without receiving an earful, haha!

What have you learned about yourself through playing Dr. Carly Lever on The Good Doctor?

I’m not sure if I learned anything new about myself per se, but I know my confidence has grown tremendously; I feel so good about the work I have done on this show, thanks in no small part to my tremendously talented scene partner, and excited to see what happens next.

What’s one message you think the world needs to hear right now?

We don’t have to be perfect to be worthy of love!

Watch Jasika on The Good Doctor Monday nights at 10pm on ABC!

Jasika Nicole of ABC's The Good Doctor on Self-Care