Summer-special about what makes the summer time special. And tips to keep your energy in balance - year round.
An important theme that came up again over the summer is regeneration and restoration. Important for all humans and living creatures. Important of course for activists. We need time to recharge our personal battery, regain new motivation and hope, and most of all stay positive. Staying positive in activism is hard work. The good news is, staying positive is easier during summer.
Summer is the moment for self-love.
Activism is love made visible and summer is the moment for self-love. Every season is now also a stark reminder of our climate changing rapidly. There is increasing evidence that our world is heating up and that extreme weather is now part of all of our lives. Knowing this can be scary, can debilitate us, and being mindful is very important.
But summer is also the time in which there is much more energy around to regenerate us. We hope you felt the power of the summer sun, and can use the remaining summer weeks to recharge so we maintain the pressure we need to give for change. Here are a couple of things you can do:
Be aware of your inner activist
We see the struggle of many activists. Frustration, disappointment, and loneliness are always around the corner. To stand strong and stay positive, know which personal values are important to you. If standing-up for justice, inclusion and the planet is part of who you are, make sure no one can take this away from you. Being aware of your inner activist, rebel, or changemaker makes it possible to protect and nurture this important part of yourself.
Create a regenerative culture
We highly recommend you to read about how Extinction Rebellion is cultivating a regenerative culture. What can you learn from their approach and how could you bring this caring attitude more to the workplace. think about what an affinity group could do at work. How to mentally and physically prepare for an activist moment, stay away from burn-out and prepare for conflict. A regenerative culture in in the DNA of Extinction Rebellion. Watch this ER video, and look at their resources.
Become aware of your work-life balance
Summer is also the ideal moment to take a step back, zoom-out and take stock of your work-life-balance. Are you spending enough time with your friends and loved ones? Can you organize your life differently and what changes would you like to make after the summer? Make a list and work on it over the next weeks.
Become aware of your work-life balance
Draft your personal development plan
We want you to realize, change takes time. If you are an activist, you are in it for the long run. Come prepared for a marathon. The most important preparation you can give yourself is to know what kind of leadership characteristics you need to develop. What professional skills would you like to develop and what is your strategy to make it happen?
Register today for our training
During the Positive Workplace Activism training and workshop sessions, we observed that many workplace activists could improve on how they connect to their activist values and how they protect and equip themselves with the needed skills. We help you to develop into a positive activator and design your action plan in 6-weeks.
Enjoy your summer-break and we hope you feel inspired to make a change.
POSITIVE WORKPLACE ACTIVISM: A CLIMATE ACTION PLAN IN 6-WEEKS
Our next signature online-course is open for registration. Join cohort 6 and skill yourself in Positive Workplace Activism. Places are filling up. The next guided 6-week course starts on Sept 29th 2023.. Check out the online course page.
Author: Veronique Swinkels. Co-founder and trainer at the Undercover Activist.