Be proximate to the people, communities, and places where challenges manifest themselves to truly understand and make a difference. This means actively doing something that creates genuine connection, rather than just passive awareness.
Ensure that your ideas and strategic thinking are deeply fueled by conviction in your heart. Be mindful of your feelings and allow them to move you, especially when pursuing goals without clear precedents or formulas.
Embrace hope as a non-negotiable ‘superpower’ and believe in things you haven’t seen, as hopelessness is the enemy of justice and personal strength. Practice hopefulness and commitment as a form of therapy and resolve.
Actively challenge and push back against narratives and feelings of fear and anger, as they are essential ingredients of injustice and oppression and prevent good decision-making. Consciously practice overcoming hate, rage, and anger like a skill.
Engage in acts of kindness, compassion, and generosity, understanding that these require a relationship with others and offer a powerful return, reorienting you and yielding hope. Wish safety even upon those you perceive as difficult.
Actively affirm the humanity and dignity of others, especially those who are struggling or have ‘fallen down,’ by wrapping your arms around them and expressing genuine connection, as this gesture has underestimated power.
Create safe environments in interactions and communities, as this is crucial for enabling open communication, understanding, and collaborative problem-solving, especially when addressing difficult truths.
Overcome resistance to expressing what you like, love, and appreciate, especially in conflict situations. Regularly articulate your highest aspirations and commitment to a better future for everyone, as this builds positive neural pathways.
Adopt the belief that individuals are more than the worst thing they have ever done, extending this understanding to both those you support and those who oppose you, fostering a desire for their freedom from negativity.
Maintain consistent habits of exercise and creative expression, such as playing music, to find comfort, process emotions, and cultivate a sense of hope, possibility, and agency, especially when overwhelmed. If possible, create music yourself.
Actively seek out and create beauty in your life, as it is affirming, inspiring, and energizing, helping to manage overwhelming emotions and provide a sense of completeness.
Cultivate a spiritual life to gain sustenance and transcend daily physical and empirical challenges, allowing for reflection on what is necessary even if not yet seen.
Reframe service to others not as a burden or obligation, but as a blessing and a source of profound personal reward and fulfillment, recognizing the power of helping others.
Commit to something you believe in that has value, purpose, and meaning, then reinforce it by actively getting close to the people or entities central to those beliefs, as this commitment will lead to positive change for all involved.
Encourage and facilitate engagement with ideas, books, and a ‘bigger world’ for those in confined or despairing situations, as this helps counter hopelessness and trauma.
Actively engage in learning and educating yourself about important issues to empower yourself as a better citizen and participant in positive change.
Get involved and support organizations doing work that resonates with you, either locally or nationally, to make a difference, as there are many opportunities to contribute.