Lived Experience Forum

[Cali_Rose]

Am I supposed to do something else? I logged in, the Chatwee window opens up with everybody's names down the left hand side, and that's all... help I want to join!

[Quilly]

Thank you

[oscbeep]

We can all talk about self-care till the cows come home but what does that really look like in practice when advocating?

• Give ourselves permission to feel our feelings- allowing our emotions to exist as they are destined to- not to repress, avoid, compartmentalise, distract. Advocacy can be uncomfortable at the best of times so practicing tolerating discomfort is helpful. Discomfort can be so very real when we are using our voices, fighting for our rights or advocating for the causes that we support. Speaking up can beyond our comfort zone- the process can be loud, intense, unfamiliar, stressful, even heart-breaking. Our resilience towards discomfort can be a really powerful asset when it comes to our advocacy skills.
• Respect your own boundaries- how tired are you? Where is your capacity at today? We are human beings and not machines and advocacy can be distressing at times- we have limits. Another boundary that is important to be conscious of is how our engagement in advocacy impacts our mental health. I’m not just talking about feeling a bit sad or disappointed- but those of us that navigate mental illness and experiences of trauma - what risks come with being an advocate?
• Mindfulness and self-reflection- becoming aware of how stress or trauma shows up can be very useful- does this become a barrier to aligning with our values? Do we have triggers that can be activated when speaking up? What can we do to mitigate stressors or triggers? A mindfulness practice can help us keep in check what we can control in a situation can also help sustain an advocacy practice. There might be systemic issues that are beyond our impact which can often feel frustrating or overwhelming. Recognising that sometimes advocacy takes time and patience. It might be rare to experience clear cut cause and effect and have gratifying outcomes. Being mindful that by advocating that we might be in it for the long haul and sometimes impacts can be made by taking different paths to the same goal.
• Practice nervous system regulation techniques to manage stress and cultivate safety. Not sure where to start…try here… A Beginner’s Guide To Polyvagal Theory by Deb Dana and for a fantastic resources of tools check this out The Nervous System Regulation Mega-Toolkit-| 115 Exercises, Techniques and Practices
• Embrace solidarity- soak up the lived experiences of others like a sponge and I guarantee you won’t feel so alone while self-advocating. I think for us to be here and engaging in this conversation on this platform means that we can understand the importance of sharing perspectives. Connection to Advocacy groups can be a fantastic way to feel like a part of a community- peak bodies and unions are a great place to get started and often are amazing resources for collaboration and connection.
• Ask for help- You don’t need to know everything! Advocacy can often be about complex issues, but you don’t need to be an expert before you start! We all start somewhere. Sometimes it can be validating to have another person hold onto hope for you when you might have run out of the strength to hold onto it for yourself.

[amber22]

The discussion is on this thread! @Cali_Rose 

So just keep refreshing and post on here like any other thread 🙂 Chatwee is for our Peer Group Chat (on Thursday evenings)

[Cali_Rose]

Am I supposed to do something else? I logged in, the Chatwee window opens up with everybody's names down the left hand side, and that's all... help I want to join!

[Cali_Rose]

OMG sorry!

[Glisten]

@Loiter isn’t the brain wonderful neuroplasticity we retrain the amygdala that activates the fight, flight, faun response.

❤️🧠

[Loiter]

So many great resources in this session -- thank you!

[Cali_Rose]

Oh gawd sorry! So I'm already in the Chat! Doh!

[TideisTurning]

Hey @Cali_Rose, Topic Tuesday is a little different to Peer Group Chats. The discussion is here on the thread, so you are here! In case it helps, a how to for Topic Tuesday is here  😊