A Reminder that Small Actions Do Add Up

A review of John Pavlovitz's new series, and a few inspiring words.

Over on his Substack, The Beautiful Mess, John Pavlovitz has started a series entitled, “So, WTH am I supposed to do?” This series feels like a response to my last post, wherein I was bemoaning how chaotic and overwhelming things are right now, so I thought I’d share! I believe the series is going to run this week, with a new video every day. I don’t have any connection to Pavlovitz, but I find myself clinging to any inspiring message to “keep going,” these days, and this one re-energized me this afternoon.

I sense that a lot of us are beginning to feel the twinges of burnout. The midterms are a ways away, our reps aren’t listening, the harms being caused are so big… Pavlovitz created this series to remind us, “…feeling overwhelmed doesn’t mean you’re weak or broken. It means you’re still human. It means your empathy still works. And it means something in you is still willing to respond.”

Check out “The Beautiful Mess” on Substack

His first two videos serve as a reminder that “activism” takes many forms, and some of the most important work is in the small things. In his video, “WTF?! Conversation With Author Omkari Williams,” Pavolvitz addresses the importance of acting close to home and acting in a way that naturally aligns with your values. Early in the interview, he says, “Activism is a lifestyle of sustainably engaging in your community.” I immediately stopped the video and ran for a notepad to write this down. This sentence is everything. He and Omkari Williams unpack some of our assumptions about activism and change-making that limit our work. We tend to set lofty goals, imagine that activism must look like leading marches and giving speeches, and because many of us can’t achieve that, we give up. We tell ourselves that what we are doing is so small, so insignificant that it’s not even worth it. As Williams states in the interview, “Our job is not to attain the goal. Our job is to advance the cause.” If our goal is to remove Donald Trump from office, then our day-to-day actions will quickly feel futile. We must remind ourselves that, instead, we are choosing acts that advance a larger cause.

As you know, I work for a labor union, and when I’m speaking to members about engagement, I often remind them that there are many ways to get involved that don’t include confrontations with the boss. Many union members think of their union leaders as those who lead the fight in grievances and contract negotiations, and a lot of rank-and-file members aren’t interested in doing that work. For a union to remain strong and united, everyone can’t do that work! We need people to help track membership. We need people to send emails. We need people to make connections with new employees. We need people to post information on a bulletin board. There are a lot of ways to support your union, and I always ask members to think about what they like to do and find a way to get involved in that capacity.

Activism is no different. Let your passion and your strengths guide you. If you hate public speaking, then don’t do it! Perhaps you are more comfortable sending emails, posting to a Facebook group, or writing postcards. Whatever your strength, there is a need for you in just about every organization.

There are indeed some positions within a movement that are more “glamorous” than others, but if you think of any movement like an airplane, you’ll understand how important it is that every moving part functions and does its job well - that’s how we keep the plane flying!

I have already ordered Williams’ book, “Micro Activism: How You Can Make a Difference in the World without a Bullhorn,” and look forward to delving into this in more depth.

The video was a great reminder of the importance of acting locally. We must listen to our community to know what is needed and then find a way to get involved. When I first started working with the unhoused, there was a group within the organization I was working with who wanted to create a subcommittee to tackle fair housing in the city. They were looking for volunteers to attend city council meetings and work to change ordinances, etc. While I think this is exceedingly important and urgent, I didn’t feel passionate about this part of the work. I know that when I hand out a peanut butter and jelly sandwich or help organize a clothing drive, I’m not “solving” the homelessness epidemic. What I am doing, however, is helping a few people survive another day or another week. And that’s not nothing. Certainly, it’s not as glamorous as speaking to a news reporter or giving a speech at a city council meeting, but it’s important work just the same. Likewise, I know some people feel uncomfortable in homeless encampments, and others are much more interested in fixing the system and want to tackle the issue at a macro level - all of these people are needed.

So, as we embark on another day in Trump’s America, let’s not let the bigness of our nation’s problems hold us back. Remember that each day, each act is about moving the needle. Let’s remember to engage in our own communities and do the best we can, even in small places, because those actions do make a difference.