I come to The Resilient Activist from a different path.
I have a decades-long passion for wellness, but I am new to activism.
In some ways, the two values of personal wellness and effecting systemic change are seemingly in conflict, but ultimately, I’m exploring the possibility that with deliberate attention, they can serve each other in an upward spiral.
With the support of wellness practices, we can bring our best selves in service of our highest values.
It starts with mindset.
The growth mindset is the core belief that we can improve with sustained effort. Our strengths and talents are not fixed, but rather, can be developed.
Our weaknesses are not done-deals, but rather, a starting point.
A growth mindset is critical for the kind of effort that is needed to make any meaningful change. Otherwise, why bother? This is true on an individual level and on a global scale. If we believe that “this is just what I’m like”, or “this is just how the world is”, then we will not put in the effort. We will not come back from setbacks.
The growth mindset powers our efforts.
We believe change is possible and we act accordingly.
We keep coming back.
We lean into the long view.
We appreciate our progress over time.
We balance self-care with service, effort with ease, and struggle with joy, because that balance is the ongoing path of growth. Without self-care, we may get fired up to serve the greater good for a bit, but the effort is likely not sustainable.
And without serving our highest values, our self-care can turn into an escape.
Community: A Shared Value
A really wonderful way to tie them together is through community.
A community that shares the values of self-care and effecting change can uplift its members and support both aspects. Self-care and activism driven by the growth mindset and in the context of community is the whole shebang.
