The work that I do mostly does not have a visible payout. This work is long hours of research on best methods of building community, sustainable living, new economic systems, transitions of towns and cities into local societies. This work is also saving money to travel to Ecovillage convergences, to take permaculture courses, to host workshops that may or may not pay off. To invest countless volunteer hours into projects that help propel eco-communities around the world.
People like myself do this work because we are awake to the audacities humanity and animals are facing and we know there is another way. We have seen a world where people are able to live sharing more resources while omitting waste, unnecessary products, and energy. These spaces can be idyllic and filled with bright mornings of shared breakfast, warm holidays celebrated together, building greenhouses, farming, stacking wood, all while living and contributing to a bigger entity than themselves; their community.
I do this work because I know that these spaces are a solution to many of societal issues that our western world faces. I could talk about this more but I have written articles that you can find here(link). My point of this article is to encourage empowerment within this sphere of activism. I find that many of the people who have been cohorts, business partners, or colleagues in the activist movement have reached the point of burnout.
Spending hours towards labor that is not tangible or grounded in the physical realm can become tiresome when we cannot see our successes or measure the exchange of input versus output.
For myself, I have dedicated eight full years to this work. I have not reached the point of burnout but I have questioned whether I should continue.
The reason that keeps me going is building a just and eco livelihood that values all peoples, animals, and Earth. A livelihood that supports and inspires my partner, friends, students, family, social media followers, etc.
As I grow more into womanhood I find that the key to my success is empowerment. I have talked about this word for years but I think it more recently hit me. What happens when I feel empowered and righteous in the work that I do? That I value my input and energy spent into everything that I am contributing to? What happens when I start viewing myself as someone that is knowledgeable and experienced in her career path?
One of the struggles I see people (especially women) facing is the inability to value their work in an equitable way. It’s not to say that we do not value ourselves at all but maybe we value the whole more than ourselves. We put the bigger community’s needs and goals before our own. What happens when we start viewing the “self” as equal? My needs are just as important as my communities needs. This is the distinguishing factor.
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About the Author:
Chloe Buzzotta – Director of Whole Systems Network
Since early adulthood I have been on the journey of environmental stewardship. What are the most ethical and just ways to harmonize our planet, humans, and animals? I have worked with different sectors in the environmental field from Greenpeace to Global Ecovillage Network. My current self-journey is building a livelihood that can support my passion of healing our planet and empowering others.