One of the things we value at AoCC is self care and pacing ourselves, so for the second summer in a row, we’ll be publishing the Checklist every other week in July and August, starting this Sunday.
This doesn’t mean being passive, per se, but rather directing more energy to that which sustains. Our team will do that, and I want to invite you too.
Make a plan
To start, print out and complete my (newly updated!) Activism Self Care Plan worksheet to discern what gets you grounded, resourceful, and hopeful. If you and I are going to persevere through 2020 and beyond, our hearts and minds need this support.
Over the next weeks, for example, I’m personally recommitting to my word for 2019: community. At a recent leadership workshop, one of my fellow participants offered this pearl: The best self care is community care. Wow. I’m sitting with her wisdom because it keeps blowing my mind. I’m journaling about it and questions about what community is for me, personally and politically, and how I might give more to them.
Maybe you make jam with summer’s berries. Maybe you have a dusty musical instrument to pick up. Maybe you relish escaping to the library for a new pile of books. Self-nourishment will be unique to you, but right now—when everyone’s distracted by weather and kiddos and vacations—be curious about new ways to there for yourself. Things may get more concerning in the months ahead, and this is how we will persevere through it.
An invitation for inspiration
If you’re open to a very specific activity, I invite you to write 3-4 paragraphs about what keeps you inspired, grounded, or persevering. What outside forces cause you to struggle most? What specific practice do you find nourishes you? Write about what you know or what you’ve learned since you got involved in activism. Write for yourself.
And, if you choose, send your writing to me before July 24th for possible inclusion in an email to inspire our whole community. Write me at hofmann.jennifer @ gmail.com with the subject line: Inspiration. No pressure, but you’re invited.
If you DO want to do activism on our off-weeks
To those with more free time in summer, you are still welcome to attend to self care. Since you have time, consider:
- Completing the all actions in our Voter Empowerment Project (can we get to 3000?).
- Working through the impeccable, thorough list of actions supporting decency immigration created by Kelly McConney Moore (one of our subscribers and an amazing human!).
- Checking out our allies at Small Deeds Done and 5 Calls who have many democracy-aligned actions to complete.
We know that self-care matters, so we’re walking our talk by easing our schedule for two months to persevere long-term. I hope to inspire you to do the same.
Be well!
Warmly,
Jen
Jen, An excellent message! Thanks
for reminding us of all the right stuff!
Take care of yourself!
Jen, you and your staff do an excellent job getting all this info together. Whenever I want to do something political, I look first at your site. You are so inspirational! I have written many postcards of thanks to people you have recommended, and surprisingly, I have received responses, even from government officials . Please keep up the good work! Thanks you, thank you, thank you!