What do you do, to be at your best as a changemaker?
To be honest, I spent decades feeling like I wasn't quite cutting it as a changemaker. I just felt I should be achieving so much more. At the time, it didn't seem like something that needed attention.
Until it did. And I started to see whole picture...
When you care a lot about the fate of other beings, and you work on societal change, you need a good dose of external AND internal resources, or you'll end up depleted, in some way or another.
If you continue to feel off keel, stressed or overwhelmed (and instead of assuming something must be wrong with you) this might give you some clues (and compassion) as to why that is.
Here's some examples to remind ourselves...
External resources:
Support & encouragement from your manager and/or team
People to delegate tasks to when you can’t be available
Sufficient funds to execute your plans
Access to training for learning professional skills
Understanding and allyship from friends and family
Assistance, practical or otherwise, for your body & mind to function optimally
Peers to share and exchange ideas with
Internal resources
Breath (phew, at least you have one)
Self-esteem – knowing you are valuable
Joy to uplift you and feel connected to life
Self-compassion for ‘mistakes’ and imperfections
Appreciation for your own dedication to the cause
Emotional resilience to face fear and frustration
Permission to rest physically and mentally
Ability to let go of things you cannot change
We don't always have the luxury of the perfect inner and outer environment, but maybe there are some tools you could actively start to seek out.
And looking at these resources, you might also have compassion for yourself (and others for that matter) - to see that you are really doing your best in an imperfect situation.
Not sure where to start in expanding your inner and/or outer resources?
Why not book a free exploration session with me, to find out what you need right now, and if one of the The Smart Activist programmes is for you.
