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Having to dig deep today as a change agent
As a change agent, I have committed my life to teaching and sharing the skills and strategies to navigate difficult situations and create truly inclusive, socially just organizations while maintaining the passion and energy critical to create meaningful, sustainable change. But today, I am struggling to use these tools in my own life. On a roller coaster, wondering what it is all for… This roller coaster of extreme emotions from Alabama last week to the tax scam this week… from feeling so useful this week as I coached so many brilliant, talented people to waking up today wondering what it is all for…. And yet I know we will move…
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5 Ways to Overcome Burnout This Season
Tis the season…for sparkling lights, glittering gift boxes and dazzling displays. But get real and admit it. You’ve lost your spark. In fact, you’re barely lit. You’re going through the motions, but there’s no passion, there’s no excitement. You’re going through the motions – but there’s no zeal, no fire in you. This isn’t just holiday blues. This goes much deeper. For a change agent, this is almost a death blow. Recognizing the Reality of Burnout People are wanting more from us as change agents, and yet when you go inside, you realize you’re running on fumes, you’re exhausted. You’re beginning to feel helpless and hopeless at times. I know…
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Self-Care Must Be Part of Every Change Agent’s Personal Agenda
You matter. Put aside all the raucous, harsh bickering you hear. Tune out all the hate, the fear, the prejudices…just for a minute. Listen to me. You matter. There is no other like you in the world. You’re unique. You’re a change agent, dedicated to pursuing greater equity and inclusion. But if you burn out, you won’t be of use to anyone. You’ve got to take care of yourself. Physically. Emotionally. Spiritually. I can help. On January 5th, I’m excited to announce the launch of my intense, info-packed course, In It for The Long Haul: Overcoming Burnout and Passion Fatigue as Social Justice Change Agents. You’ll get all the strategies…
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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…
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You’re Passionate About Leading Change. But Are You Close To Burnout?
How Can Creating Meaningful Social Change Cause Burnout? Burned out from passion? Sounds like an oxymoron. How can you suffer burnout from something you are so committed to doing? Easy. When you’re passionate about something, when you put your heart and soul into it… You live it. Your cause matters. You put so much energy into your work and changing injustice that you forget all about your own self-care. And then – it hits you all at once (but if you were being mindful, you’d notice little signs of burnout creeping in). You feel DEPLETED. You’ve neglected your HEALTH. Your relationships are suffering. You don’t think you can continue on…
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If you’re neglecting self-care, you’re on the road to burnout
When we need it the most, in these troublesome times, we’re neglecting our self-care. Recently, I find myself feeling deeply discouraged and wondering if anything I’ve been doing as a change agent really matters. Unfortunately, I’m not alone: I am meeting more and more leaders and activists who are very close to deep burnout. And we’re neglecting our self-care. Without any measurable efforts to focus on our own self-care and healing as change agents, we’re in the fast lane to serious burnout. In my workshops and coaching sessions, I see so many change agents running on empty. We sleep just enough to have the energy to pull ourselves out of…
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ANNOUNCING: The Center for Transformation and Change
It was a great day! Recently, one of the people in my year-long Certification Program observed me facilitating a day-long workshop on creating inclusive organizations. I believed she learned a lot and I appreciated her observations and feedback as we debriefed over dinner. Each passing day since the election, I am ever more deeply committed to work with a small group of bad-ass change agents in this Certification Program! Can you relate to being on this roller-coaster of extreme emotions since November? Feeling rage, grief, fear, disbelief, and now also a deep sense of urgency and resolve that we each must move fully into our power, consistently speak our truth,…
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Transforming Lives and Changing the World
As I move moment by moment with the deep grief and rage I feel, I am so clear we each must move into our power, speak our truth, and mobilize others to heal the world. People see me as a powerful mobilizer who creates change and stimulates growth. People tell me that I can take people from denial and complacency to inspiration and action. I have a reputation of being someone who can move people who have been written off as unreachable or unchangeable. A lot of people think this came naturally to me; that it’s just a gift I have and other people don’t. But I’m going to let…
