Open Communication
Communication is the foundation of relationships, and relationships are what power positive change. While consistent communication is the key to forming collaborative partnerships, open communication is the bedrock that sustains them, that enables them to bear fruit.
Concerted Action
To improve personal health, achieve long-standing dreams, uplift marginalized community members, or establish equitable social systems, we’ve got to take action. But not the flailing around, half-baked kind. The informed, thoughtful, and concerted kind. We need to take action that’s derived from intentional learning at the same time that it’s driven by visceral passion.
Equity and Inclusion
And how do you know whether an initiative can promote the common good? If it promotes equitable opportunities for people across races, gender identities, sexual orientations, religious beliefs, cultural backgrounds and more while creating a community in which all people feel welcome, valued, and supported, then you can be confident it does.
Compassionate Leadership
Concerted actions are taken by leaders who care, who truly believe that their platforms and authority are meant to be of service to others. Positive change requires leadership that’s not just humane, but also compassionate. Leaders who are able to empathize with the people-- all of the people-- they lead, are the only ones who can effect change that promotes the common good.
Connection with Your Environment
Human beings aren’t social media profiles or email inboxes, and we can’t be measured by SEO rankings or whatever “likes” mean. We’re living organisms with sophisticated minds and complex bodies. We’re intertwined with and reliant on everything in our physical world. Because of this, I believe that spending time connecting with our environments means spending time immersing ourselves in who we truly are.
Balance in Everything
In order to turn outward, you must turn inward. In order to help others, you must take care of yourself. Balancing your needs with the needs of those around you is critical to sustaining long term health, growth, relationships, and progress towards meaningful goals. And just as finding stability in a boat requires adjustment to changing waters, finding balance in life means adapting to constantly evolving contexts.