Rachel Cargle once wrote something brilliant about the misconception that doing good requires a massive online platform to speak from. She pointed out that our real-life communities, our families, our day-to-day is where we can all create change – and that change adds up, even if you don’t quite believe it does.
Thank you so much for this. I’m so paralyzed by trying to do the right next thing that I can’t accomplish anything. Thanks for reminding me that there are people next door I could easily help.
Oh, and to help myself from time to time, as well 💜
Just an idea for others, I have compliment cards I print out before I go to the shops. I try to only genuinely hand them out and people act like I gave them a jewel 🥲 kindness is so hard to come by and yet so easy. Thank you Megan for being such a bright light in these dark times 💕
I really resonated with this, at points during the pandemic I felt I had lost all perspective on what community was and it was more important to just prove I was right in my beliefs than to actually try and understand people in pain. Now I try and focus on connection instead of having to be right and it has helped me be myself again and a lot kinder.
Megan you are so good for my soul. I love your assertive compassion. It makes me love myself and allows me to live with freedom from fear (Aren't I rich to have that?). Kindness to others is something I quietly pride myself on...I mean it virtually costs me nothing, but can do so much good in the world. Yes, I agree some aspects of social feminist activism is actually misogynistic and has a masculine energy to it, and rather is ACTUALLY doing the exact opposite of what it is intended to do. I wish more people realised that about some activism. It's a challenge to get the balance right. Like I said you are good for my soul. You bring me so much peace with your meditations, your words, your perspectives and awareness; you are so smart and we like you very very much. Blessings and hugs (if you want them) from your friends in New Zealand. Arohanui 🙏🌿
If every person did one "good deed" a day, imagine how the world would change. Not to post on social media, just to make someone else's life better, to support a non profit, to ensure hungry people are fed, etc. Imagine how we could change the world, with a quiet bit of goodness.
I was nodding along the whole time. What I’ve found interesting about the current online social justice movement, is that so often it reminds me a LOT of my conservative Evangelical Christian upbringing. After awhile, I realized it was filling me with the same kind of guilt, self-loathing, and “not good enough no matter what you do” that I had finally escaped from when I left the beliefs of my childhood. It’s so easy to make a dogmatic religion out of anything, I’ve found. People do it with social justice, yoga, veganism etc. and there’s nothing wrong with any of those things, it’s just that they become toxic when we create a whole system around how they must be done, who is doing them “right,” and how everyone on the face of the planet should be doing it like us. I really appreciate your wisdom on these things. I’m so glad you’re finding more balance for yourself, and are able to articulate what so many of us feel, but sometimes don’t know how to say, or are frankly too scared to say them!
Love this so much! “ To not perform Goodness™. ” 😆😇😜 It is truly absurd how we’ve gotten the balance wrong. Thank you for pointing this out, you are wonderful.
As the late great Desmond Tutu famously said, “ Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”
I love this. And I often struggle with not feeling like enough because I don't say many things online. But I do strive to be kind. So maybe that's ok, and that's where I can continue to focus my attention. Thank you ❤️
Yes, yes yes! I just try to live with love in my heart. I have left organized religion. I am just trying to put good and love into the world on a daily basis. Just because it makes me feel better, and hopefully causes someone else to feel better... hopefully spreading to someone else.... and on and on. Megan, I continually am amazed by your and your kindness and your candor. MUCH LOVE TO YOU!
Hi Megan! I just wanted to let you know that your newsletter is the best thing that comes into my inbox. I really value your perspective and you are a breath of fresh air in the abyss of social media.
It took me a while to figure this out too, but yes, participating too much in the Woke Olympics detracts from actually doing good in communities. Social media in reality is quite the time suck and the Woke Olympics sucks even more time away from doing good
Thank you so much for your posts about the online social justice movement and in particular, this one. I spent many years feeling guilty I wasn't participating "in the right way" with regards to social justice and giving back, and am finally starting to make peace with the idea you shared above - that kindness and generosity is also in the details and everyone has a role to play. Your post helps validate that notion, which has to be true, if you think about it! The hype and visibility can make us believe otherwise. 🙏
Yes to all of this! The big, structural, societal changes we fight for will never happen overnight. We have to survive through this imperfect reality in order to build that better future, and focusing on those little things that can have a small but immediate impact helps to plant those seeds.
Thank you so much for this. I’m so paralyzed by trying to do the right next thing that I can’t accomplish anything. Thanks for reminding me that there are people next door I could easily help.
Oh, and to help myself from time to time, as well 💜
Just an idea for others, I have compliment cards I print out before I go to the shops. I try to only genuinely hand them out and people act like I gave them a jewel 🥲 kindness is so hard to come by and yet so easy. Thank you Megan for being such a bright light in these dark times 💕
I really resonated with this, at points during the pandemic I felt I had lost all perspective on what community was and it was more important to just prove I was right in my beliefs than to actually try and understand people in pain. Now I try and focus on connection instead of having to be right and it has helped me be myself again and a lot kinder.
Megan you are so good for my soul. I love your assertive compassion. It makes me love myself and allows me to live with freedom from fear (Aren't I rich to have that?). Kindness to others is something I quietly pride myself on...I mean it virtually costs me nothing, but can do so much good in the world. Yes, I agree some aspects of social feminist activism is actually misogynistic and has a masculine energy to it, and rather is ACTUALLY doing the exact opposite of what it is intended to do. I wish more people realised that about some activism. It's a challenge to get the balance right. Like I said you are good for my soul. You bring me so much peace with your meditations, your words, your perspectives and awareness; you are so smart and we like you very very much. Blessings and hugs (if you want them) from your friends in New Zealand. Arohanui 🙏🌿
If every person did one "good deed" a day, imagine how the world would change. Not to post on social media, just to make someone else's life better, to support a non profit, to ensure hungry people are fed, etc. Imagine how we could change the world, with a quiet bit of goodness.
I was nodding along the whole time. What I’ve found interesting about the current online social justice movement, is that so often it reminds me a LOT of my conservative Evangelical Christian upbringing. After awhile, I realized it was filling me with the same kind of guilt, self-loathing, and “not good enough no matter what you do” that I had finally escaped from when I left the beliefs of my childhood. It’s so easy to make a dogmatic religion out of anything, I’ve found. People do it with social justice, yoga, veganism etc. and there’s nothing wrong with any of those things, it’s just that they become toxic when we create a whole system around how they must be done, who is doing them “right,” and how everyone on the face of the planet should be doing it like us. I really appreciate your wisdom on these things. I’m so glad you’re finding more balance for yourself, and are able to articulate what so many of us feel, but sometimes don’t know how to say, or are frankly too scared to say them!
Love this so much! “ To not perform Goodness™. ” 😆😇😜 It is truly absurd how we’ve gotten the balance wrong. Thank you for pointing this out, you are wonderful.
As the late great Desmond Tutu famously said, “ Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”
I love this. And I often struggle with not feeling like enough because I don't say many things online. But I do strive to be kind. So maybe that's ok, and that's where I can continue to focus my attention. Thank you ❤️
Yes, yes yes! I just try to live with love in my heart. I have left organized religion. I am just trying to put good and love into the world on a daily basis. Just because it makes me feel better, and hopefully causes someone else to feel better... hopefully spreading to someone else.... and on and on. Megan, I continually am amazed by your and your kindness and your candor. MUCH LOVE TO YOU!
Hi Megan! I just wanted to let you know that your newsletter is the best thing that comes into my inbox. I really value your perspective and you are a breath of fresh air in the abyss of social media.
It took me a while to figure this out too, but yes, participating too much in the Woke Olympics detracts from actually doing good in communities. Social media in reality is quite the time suck and the Woke Olympics sucks even more time away from doing good
This is spot on. The impact you can have on one life with some very simple acts of kindness can be transformative.
Thank you so much for your posts about the online social justice movement and in particular, this one. I spent many years feeling guilty I wasn't participating "in the right way" with regards to social justice and giving back, and am finally starting to make peace with the idea you shared above - that kindness and generosity is also in the details and everyone has a role to play. Your post helps validate that notion, which has to be true, if you think about it! The hype and visibility can make us believe otherwise. 🙏
Yes to all of this! The big, structural, societal changes we fight for will never happen overnight. We have to survive through this imperfect reality in order to build that better future, and focusing on those little things that can have a small but immediate impact helps to plant those seeds.
yes yes yes!
Yes to all of this ❤️❤️