Across the globe, social change leaders are responding with urgency to Coronavirus and the human rights issues the pandemic has laid bare. The work of social change can be as challenging as it is energizing, and progress also brings stress and fatigue, highlighting the importance of sustainability along the way. As we pursue equity in this moment, what’s the role of our personal wellbeing—and how does it fuel the collective justice we seek?
Rhonda Magee, a long-time law professor and meditation teacher who views mindfulness as one of the first steps toward justice, recently presented during the ongoing series of virtual seminars by The Wellbeing Project. In contrast to the “churning mind” of habits and to-do lists, she says, mindfulness helps us focus on the present moment and release judgements or biases, a practice that often leads to greater empathy and resilience.
This is an excerpt from the article Social Change Starts with Personal Justice: Rhonda Magee on the Role of Self-Care in Movement Building by Annah Mason.
This article is a part of a special series on the connection between inner well-being and social change, in partnership with The Wellbeing Project, Stanford Social Innovation Review, Schwab Foundation at the World Economic Forum, and Skoll Foundation.
