41. Engage in Social Action. It's an antidote for hopelessness
Heads up: this post talks about shootings.
Data point of the week
Reflection
Most of you are old enough to remember how shocking and devastating the Columbine shooting was. That was in 1999. In the last couple of decades mass shootings have become much more commonplace. In just the last few weeks there has been yet another racist shooting and yet another school shooting.
They are just as devastating as Columbine was 23 years ago. And yet there are so many terrible things in the news, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, bogged down, helpless and hopeless about the state of the world. There is simply too much trauma to absorb, and what can one person do? Numerous studies show that watching the news—for as little as 15 minutes—increases feelings of anxiety, sadness, and worry, and over time contributes to depression.
A natural response is to start to numb and create psychological distance to self-protect. However, there is a different option, which is to take action—even micro-action. Many problems seem so enormous that small actions can feel insignificant … but as this story about the Hummingbird and the Forest Fire so beautifully depicts, every action counts.
On an individual level, action acts as an antidote to helplessness and hopelessness and protects against anxiety and depression.
On a community and global level, individual actions are cumulative. Your actions—my actions—could help us reach the tipping point on a particular issue … or brighten someone’s day.
As the chart above shows, other countries have dramatically fewer gun-related homicides and suicides than the U.S. Surely that is possible for us too.
This week’s action step is to be like the hummingbird and reflect on one area where you’d like to make an impact.
Action Step: Engage in social action
Set aside 15 minutes to reflect and write freely, uninterrupted, on the kind of impact you would like to have on other people, on your community, or on society in general. YOU can make a difference in your small corner of the world—and who knows, maybe even beyond. You have agency.
Making a social impact or contribution does not have to happen on a large scale. It’s impossible—and overwhelming—trying to tackle ALL the issues. Choosing to focus on one small, manageable step helps us move from paralyzing confusion and overwhelm into clarity and action. Making a difference could be anything from being kind in your daily interactions, to picking up litter, to getting involved in a social cause.
To be sustainable, think about social actions or contributions that feel aligned with your interests and values, and are energizing. If the action feels depleting or is done out of a sense of obligation or guilt, it will be hard to maintain.
Reflect and write freely in response to the following questions:
In your lifetime, what kind of impact would you like to have on other people, on your community, or on society in general?
What do you want to stand for?
What do you want to stand against?
What issue(s) do you feel most passionate about?
If you were to pick ONE area to make a difference in (no matter how small or large) what would it be?
What specific action(s) can you take to move the needle (even a fraction) in this one area?
How can you engage in these actions more, and build them into your life?
This 15-minute writing exercise has been shown to deepen feelings of connection, strengthen a sense of meaning and purpose, and reduce depression and anxiety.
Questions (Please share in the comments):
If you were to choose ONE area to make a difference in (no matter how small or large) what would it be? What makes you feel strongly about this issue?
