Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsActivism Is Great for Social Change But Not So Great for Mental HealthIt’s Time for Activists to Embrace the #SoftLifeHow to Wind Down and Get Some Real Rest—and Release Stress

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Activism Is Great for Social Change But Not So Great for Mental Health

It’s Time for Activists to Embrace the #SoftLife

How to Wind Down and Get Some Real Rest—and Release Stress

Close

Every Friday onThe Verywell Mind Podcast, host Minaa B., a licensed social worker, mental health educator, and author of “Owning Our Struggles,” interviews experts, wellness advocates, and individuals with lived experiences about community care and its impact on mental health.

Social justice work andactivismare certainly not for the faint-hearted. This kind of work is often grueling, thankless, and draining. Yes, the people who do it recognize the hardships that come with it, but their fierce devotion tomaking the world a better placeoverrides the not-so-great and downright traumatic aspects of activism (e.g., witnessing and investigating repeated acts ofviolence against marginalized groups).

The key to getting adequate rest is to be intentional about it.

Felicia A. Henry, LMSW, a PhD candidate at the University of Delaware who studies race, gender, and criminal justice, values rest and embracing the #SoftLife (more on this later). Regarding her activist work, Henry says, “We cannot be all things to all people. We cannot do everything.” This is very true, consideringburnoutand fatigue are often the effects of long-term activism work.

At a GlanceWhen we think about all of the injustice in the world, it can make us feel powerless, discouraged, and angry. We may feel the urge to fight for change and make sure those who are involved in perpetuating inequity, stigma, harmful stereotypes, and violence are held accountable. Activism is, of course, respectable work, but overworking yourself can lead to burnout and debilitating stress. Fortunately, there are ways that activists can give themselves permission to rest and protect their well-being.

At a Glance

When we think about all of the injustice in the world, it can make us feel powerless, discouraged, and angry. We may feel the urge to fight for change and make sure those who are involved in perpetuating inequity, stigma, harmful stereotypes, and violence are held accountable. Activism is, of course, respectable work, but overworking yourself can lead to burnout and debilitating stress. Fortunately, there are ways that activists can give themselves permission to rest and protect their well-being.

First off, shout out to all of the activists out there who are doing this hard work—because it really does work. As an example, protests are effective in creating change because they gradually increase public discourse and awareness aboutinjusticeacross the globe. While a movement’s goal may not always be met, just getting the world to think aboutinequityis a major game-changer.

But positive change comes at a cost to courageous people fighting for it. Mental health effects of prolonged activism work include:

Because these effects can be so debilitating, rest is absolutely necessary.

How Prolonged Stress Impacts Your Health

Activists may often feel that their work should never stop as long as injustice continues. But to do this work effectively,rest is a critical part of well-being. According to the Coalition of Feminists for Social Change (COFEM), rest is a “radical intentional act of ensuring our physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional wellness.

Felicia A. Henry, LMSWIt [activism] is going to take hard work, but we cannot let that hard work grind us into nothingness.

Felicia A. Henry, LMSW

It [activism] is going to take hard work, but we cannot let that hard work grind us into nothingness.

The key to getting adequate rest is to be intentional about it. Henry says, “Rest is a radical action of resistance…people talk about #SoftLife [and it’s] a tool to remind us that we’re not machines.”

She says that despite wanting to see the world become a better place, even activists can’t “snap our fingers” and see change overnight.

Unsung Hero Spotlight: Rest for Resistance

So, What Is the #SoftLife All About?

The term “soft life” originated as a viral trend among Black TikTok users in 2022.The term is defined as “a lifestyle of comfort and relaxation with minimal challenges or stress.

#SoftLife#SoftLife is a viral social media trend that emphasizes the need for people, especially Black people, to give themselves permission to rest and release the need to “do it all.”

#SoftLife

#SoftLife is a viral social media trend that emphasizes the need for people, especially Black people, to give themselves permission to rest and release the need to “do it all.”

Henry says, “It [activism] is going to take hard work, but we cannot let that hard work grind us into nothingness.”

To avoid getting totally drained, Henry suggests questions activists can ask themselves when trying to figure out how much and what kind of activism work they can handle:

Upon answering these questions, activists can get a better understanding of the lines that shouldn’t be crossed so that they can protect their mental health as much as possible.

How to Relax Your Body and Mind

If you’re already doing activism work or interested in starting, here are some things tips about rest to keep in mind:

What This Means For YouAdvocating for social change is exhausting but can be highly rewarding. If you’re feeling burnout or stressed, it may be time to reach out to amental health professional. Helping other people is noble, but it shouldn’t drain you.

What This Means For You

Advocating for social change is exhausting but can be highly rewarding. If you’re feeling burnout or stressed, it may be time to reach out to amental health professional. Helping other people is noble, but it shouldn’t drain you.

Marginalized Mental Health Matters: What Experts Want You to Know

4 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Alexander AC, Waring JJC, Noble B, et al.Perceptions of Mental Health and Exploring the Role of Social Activism Among African Americans Exposed to Media Coverage of Police Brutality and Protests.J Racial Ethn Health Disparities. 2023;10(3):1403-1413. doi:10.1007/s40615-022-01326-2

Coalition of Feminists for Social Change.Rest as a form of social justice in our movements.

Dictionary.com.Soft life.

Meet Our Review Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?HelpfulReport an ErrorOtherSubmit

What is your feedback?