Learn What Action-Taker Role Suits You Best
Do you get deterred from taking action because you think to be a dedicated and serious climate action taker you have to become like Jane Fonda, protesting and getting arrested on the steps of the United States Capitol?
While I admire and appreciate her fortitude and devotion to bringing attention to the urgent need for climate policy at the Federal level, I’m not up to joining her and her fellow protestors.
It’s not of interest to me, nor my forte. So, does this mean I’m not a devoted climate activist? Absolutely not!
I am wholeheartedly committed to playing a role in the evolving and growing climate movement. I simply want to take actions that are better suited to my personality, skills, phase of life, and interests.
Luckily, we can choose what we love to do most from an array of effective approaches to solving the climate crisis. We can give our all in our own way. As Jalal’u’din Rumi says, “Let the beauty we love be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground."
As Jalal’u’din Rumi says, “Let the beauty we love be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.”
So, how do you discover what your Yes! to climate action is?
By discerning what you love to do, what comes naturally to you, and what your personality is best suited for.
To help you figure out what role you might want to play, you can ask yourself questions like:
Do I prefer to play a background role, or do I like to be out front, organizing groups and activities?
Do I like to research all my options before taking action or do I prefer to jump right in and learn as I go?
Do I prefer to take direct action or support those who are the rain makers?
I found the quiz the Story of Stuff put together helpful. It outlines six different action-taking roles based on different personality strengths and skills. What kind of change maker are you? Are you a:
Builder—someone who doesn’t wait for solutions, but creates them instead?
Nurturer—someone who is always ready, able and willing to help and provide support to change makers and change efforts?
Networker—someone who has a skill for connecting people and bringing change makers together over common ideas, goals and actions?
Communicator—someone who uses their creative expression to tell stories and share information that builds our power, bring us closer together and closer to a better future?
Investigator—someone who continually learns about the problems and solutions and asks the hard questions to expose the truths we need to address?
Resister—someone who likes to be on the front lines practicing civil disobedience, halting destructive projects with lawsuits or blockades?
Take the quiz to learn more.
Then, take action to make change happen in the way that feels most natural to you.
A Note:
While the quiz narrows your type down to one of the above six roles, it is likely that you (and each of us) play multiple roles. It is also possible that the roles you play also change over time. For instance, I used to be more of a builder and networker, but now that I’m semi-retired, I am more of a communicator (hence this blog!) and a nurturer.
Gratitude Shout Out:
I’d like to thank my friends at Virtues Matter for inspiring me. I have their Virtues Card app on my phone. This morning when I opened it for a random selection I got the card, Devotion. It was the perfect virtue and concept for introducing this post!
I’d love to know what’s grabbing your attention or what questions are running through your mind. Let me know in the comments section. I’ll respond in one of my blog posts.
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All the best,
Krista / Eco-Omi