Nicole Woods

But in excess, self-development can create a world of self-interested individuals and that’s what I’m up against here. I’m against the continual process of self-betterment at the expense of community-betterment. I’m against participating in too much theory and not enough action. We can focus on being more loving and more empathetic and more compass... See more

our individual flourishing is inextricably linked to the wellbeing of those around us

What we urgently need in all ranks of leadership, both in corporate and government, is the ability to imagine futures that see the messiness of being human not as an inefficiency to be optimised away but as an essential friction that weaves the fabric of genuine human experience.

Building alternatives to extractive economics isn’t just about critiquing the system from afar/behind our screens. It’s about actively rewriting the story at the local level, where change feels personal and immediate. When those benefits are visible to the people we care about, they have the power to inspire more systemic change over time.

Joy is not a function of a life free of friction and frustration, but a function of focus — an inner elevation by the fulcrum of choice.

Yes. At the root of my work is joy—and at the root of that is hope. I believe that if we give up hope on all who make up “humanity” not only are we allowing the oppressors, colonizers, bigots, and others to win, but we are also not acknowledging all the work marginalized communities have put into experiencing life euphorically.

Contribute your skills to an existing effort – make it possible. Build the website, raise the funds, recruit the talent, plan the events. As Bill McKibben puts it, “Faced with the kind of crises that we face, the most important thing that an individual can do is to not always be an individual.” Move from I to we .

Be gentle with yourself on the ‘What are you good at?’ question. Put your insecurities aside and simply consider what you have to offer – in your personal life, professional life, and civic life. If we each harness our superpowers, that will actually enable the radical changes we need.

Our fixation on measurable outcomes often leads us to overlook the nuances of human experience: comfort, joy, even a bit of whimsy.