Reignite the Passion for Your Work With Self-Care

Self-Care Reignites the Passion for Your Change Work

More and more change agents and activists are in deep burnout these days – and they don’t even realize it.  They are still getting up every morning to work for social justice, but things just don’t feel like they used to.

But as dedicated change agents, they keep on. The challenge is that they are depleting themselves, endangering their health, and undermining their long-term capacity to sustain activism and effective change work.

You CANNOT neglect self-care.  Ever.

Being a change agent isn’t just a “job” – it is your life’s work, your calling. So, how do you find passion for your work again? By taking far better care of yourself.

If you go down, there’s one less voice to create the justice we need.

Now do you see how vital self-care is?

Change Agents, Learn to Recognize Passion Fatigue

There are tens of thousands, if not millions, of leaders, activists, and change agents who are feeling the late stages of burnout, or what I call “Passion Fatigue.”

Passion fatigue is when we are going through the motions, but we have lost our spark and the source of energy to keep going. It is when we want to be committed for the long haul, but have trouble believing we can make it some days.

How many times have you felt that way?

It’s okay to have that feeling once in a while – but when you’re recognizing it in yourself frequently – you’re burning out.  As change agents, we want to do more, to be more, to create true equity and fairness for all. But we can’t do this if we are exhausted, overwhelmed and ultimately, burned out.

We need immediate self-care and community care to sustain our change efforts for the long haul.

Get more info and sign up now for this self-paced virtual course designed just for change agents like you.

Overcome Burnout with the Three-Legged Stool of Sustainability

Change agents are far more effective when they are spiritually grounded, emotionally present, and physically healthy.  That’s what I call the three-legged stool of sustainability in social change work.

For many, it is easiest to start to create better balance in their physical health. Shifting how we eat, drink, sleep, exercise, play, and rejuvenate ourselves can result in a pretty rapid change in our energy and stamina.

As we eat nutritiously and cut back/cut out foods and beverages that deplete our immune system and energy, we most likely will notice we have more emotions than before – and are more easily triggered. Surprising, huh?

When we stop using food, alcohol, sugar, and other substances to cover over emotions, our feelings will resurface – often when we least expect. When we stop over-indulging in alcohol or whatever it is we do to excess to cover up our thoughts, we notice that we have this “space” in front of us.  We begin to notice our feelings.  It may be uncomfortable.  But it’s the start of regaining who you really are.

Deepening our capacity to effectively experience and navigate our emotions is critical to sustaining our change work. For most people I know, this will involve doing some deeper healing work to identify and resolve past issues and traumas that fuel our unproductive triggered reactions so we can be emotionally grounded and present in the work.

My newest course, In It for the LONG Haul, is packed with all the practical tips, smart strategies (plus the sneaky things to watch for so burnout doesn’t take you out of the game). Stay in the game (and help others do the same) – just click here to sign up.

Faith Holds Up the Three-Legged Stool

For those who have a spiritual practice, it may be useful to explore how you are currently using spirituality and/or religion to support your social change work.

I know when I engage others out of ego or resentment or fear, I am far less effective. I escalate dysfunctional dynamics that only undermine my goal of greater equity and inclusion.

When I ground myself in my faith and engage in ways that are consistent with my values, I am far more useful in the work.

And that’s when we’re truly effective change agents.

Bring back your passion.  Kick ass to burnout.  You owe it to yourself!

Do something for yourself right now and click here to sign up for my newest course, In It for the LONG Haul.