Activism isn’t easy. The potential for loss of energy and burnout is high. We’ve partnered with ThirdAct in creating an on-line gathering series to address this challenge. The idea is simple: bring in wise people who have thought about it, and have a conversation about what they have learned. The hope is that folks leave with some new perspectives/practices that will help navigate the psychological ups and downs of climate (and other big issue) activism.
The series is new this year and it’s been a hit. We’ve had guests with expertise in the neuroscience of meditation/contemplation, the filmmakers behind the wonderful “Reflections of Life” project, a writer/storyteller who spoke about the grassroots peace process in Northern Ireland, a lawyer leading one of the biggest court cases against the fossil fuel companies, and one of the authors of “The Upswing” – a powerful book about the history of the progressive movement in the US.
Our next “H&J” gathering is on November 13th at 7 PM ET:
“Wisdom and Courage for a World Falling Apart”
Our last “H&J” gathering was on October 22nd at 7 PM ET:
“The Book of Joy: A Conversation with Doug Abrams”
You don’t need to be a Third Act volunteer to be welcome to join any of our events. We do ask that you respect the idea that these events are about finding hope and joy in a challenging world. And, that most of the attendees are active volunteers trying, as best they can, to address the goals and objectives of ThirdAct.org.
‘Ikigai’ is a Japanese concept that combines the terms ‘iki’ (‘alive’ or ‘life’) with and ‘gai’ (‘benefit’ or ‘worth’). Third Act volunteers have come together around the mission of Third Act, and what that work means to our communities and our kids – now and in the future. That sense of ikigai binds us together. It’s also the reason we’re refired, not retired.
As rational observers of the world who’ve been around the block a few times, we aren’t naïve about our work. Between reading the news and talking to the people around us, it’s not hard to find reasons to be less than optimistic. Yet, we share hope. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t be doing what we do.