Tips To Show Up Sustainably For Your Art & Activism
Showing up for what we care about can be challenging. Why? Probably because we live in a culture that keeps us busy, overwhelmed and unsupported.
However, it can also be challenging because if we care deeply, then there’s likely some fear, vulnerability and old messaging blocking us from showing up fully: Am I worthy? What if I do it wrong? Who am I to be doing this? What if people don’t like me or what I share?
When you put yourself out there in your art or in your activism you’re essentially saying, “This is what I believe. This is what I stand for.” As a result there will be humans in the world who will not align with you, what you believe and what you stand for. These people may just not care about what you’re sharing or they might actively ridicule you and tear you down. Thus, standing up for what we believe in always comes with some level of vulnerability.
Followup Question: How are you at being vulnerable?
For most of us I think the answer is not so great!
I learned during the Kickstarter Launch for my children’s book, Arya & Everyone Else’s Feelings, that I was way out of practice at being vulnerable. I felt scared every single day. So many old messages came up, so much fear and vulnerability. It was my childhood dream to be an author and help heal the world. Could I actually do it and feel safe? The answer was yes and no: I could do it, but I wouldn’t feel safe every step of the way and that is okay. I could return to the trust, safety and knowing that I am worthy, that my book was worthy, again and again. So that’s what I did.
And, honestly, that experience not only made me feel incredibly empowered because I showed up for my dream and for myself, it also prepared me to show up for what I believe in when it came to Here 4 The Kids - a movement led by Black, Indigenous Women of Color to bring an end to the gun violence in this country.
*Click here to learn more and RSVP to join us on June 5th in Denver, Colorado for a massive peaceful sit-in on the capital lawn. And if you really can’t come in person, sign up here to volunteer and help spread the word.*
I had already been showing up sustainably for my children’s book so that momentum switched fairly seamlessly into my passion to end gun violence. Many have thanked me for this passion and commitment as if it’s out of reach to them, when in reality, we can all show up for what we believe in. I’m not special, but I have learned some ways to show up sustainably, so here they are:
#1: A little everyday goes a long way.
I surpassed my fundraising goal - and met both my stretch goals - for my children’s book on Kickstarter and though my success was due to many things, I do believe the fact that I showed up in small ways every single day massively helped me reach those goals. Whether it was 10 minutes to send a private message to let someone know about my book or a few hours to create a post, a little bit a day brought about massive success.
Currently, for Here 4 The Kids, I’m doing the same thing. I’m dedicating about 30 minutes to an hour every single day to either direct messages, posts or other volunteer tasks.
This bite-sized amount per day - for me - makes nurturing my passions so much more sustainable. Why? Because as I said above, life is full! I’m a parent of a toddler, I have daily responsibilities and regular life events. And I also have to leave space to attend to all the emotions that arise while doing this work. More on that below.
#2: Avoid perfectionism.
I have learned that one of the characteristics of white supremacy culture is that we must be “perfect” or meet some unattainable standard in order to be loved and accepted. Please resist this! Perfectionism will keep you from creating, sharing and showing up. This is so huge and honestly very challenging for me personally. I remind myself constantly: My best is good enough, it’s okay to make mistakes, and if I make mistakes I can take actions to repair.
Additionally, tied into this for white women especially, are messages like: keep it together, don’t make waves, don’t be too emotional, be nice, don’t bother people, etc. You are going to have to throw these out the window. They are not real! Humans are messy, we have feelings, and if you want to make real change in the world, you’re going to make waves and bother some people. You are not for everyone and discomfort is part of the process.
#3: Lean on community.
I think this is my favorite. We go so much farther when we go together. We are meant to be supported amongst loving community. You are more likely to show up for something challenging when you surround yourself with people who are either showing up in their own lives in the way you desire and/or people who will hold you accountable with big love.
(Join the Here4TheKids online community here.)
A key to this is: Ask for help. Oh man, asking for help is where it’s at! We need help - both to spread the word of our passions farther and to support ourselves in the work. The answer may be no from one person, but it may be YES from the next. Keep asking.
#4: Follow the threads of inspiration.
There have been many days where I think I’ve run out of people to reach out to, posts to create, ways to share, and then an idea or a person pops into my head. Write these down and then follow through on them! This blog post came from a conversation with someone who I shared Here 4 The Kids information with and they didn’t know how to show up for it, so we talked about sustainability and I realized I had valuable tips to offer. And here we are!
#5: Build in recovery.
This one for me is non-negotiable. Showing up for the things you care about takes energy. If you do not care for yourself in the process then you will very quickly burn out. If you burn out then you cannot show up.
Ways I build in recovery: Put the screens away, go outside, connect with spirit and my healed ancestors, talk to a therapist or coach, zone out, get a babysitter, move my body lovingly, write in my journal, etc. Whatever soothes and refuels you is necessary to showing up for what you care about.
#6: Nurture your joy.
Your joy is necessary to sustainability. When you nurture your joy, you are more creative, you are more loving, and everything you do is uplifted. You, your art and your activism all need joy to thrive. Your joy helps to balance the struggles and challenges of facing your fears and showing up.
It is safe, essential, and revolutionary to experience and delight in your joy as you show up for big things in the world. So go play! Laugh, dance, be silly, do what makes you feel joyful.
#7: Set boundaries.
This one is sort of built into a few of the above, but I felt it could use a moment to shine on its own. Boundaries are hard! For me, at least. You may have mastered them! Ways that boundaries can help:
Set boundaries around how much time you are showing up for what you care about. This is helpful if you’re feeling really resistant to showing up at all. Tell yourself all you need to do is something - anything - for 15 minutes. Set a timer and get to it. You may only make a list of what to do next in that time, but that is something and gets you closer to actually taking action.
Set boundaries around when to stop showing up so you can actually sleep. This is part of recovery and care. I have had to force myself to not look at Instagram or email after a certain hour so that I can turn my brain off and rest versus continually get sucked back into the work.
Set boundaries so you can be present to your life. Similar to above, be wary of your passions taking over your presence to the other aspects of your life. Show up and then know it’s okay to set it down and breathe.
And set boundaries around projects or activities that are not refilling you or supporting what you care about. AKA: Say no to things that drain you.
Final note:
These are things I am still learning. I am not perfect and have to remind myself to do all of the above in order to maintain my health and sustainably give energy to what I care about. I merely hope they support you in moving past any thoughts of “I could never do that” and into the truth of YES, YOU CAN.
Thank you for caring and thank you for showing up for what you care about.
Love you.
Kelsey