Last week I was part of a conversation with an incredible connection in the non-profit space that is just beginning their journey into the social innovation world. They noted that they weren’t actually sure they belonged here because they had just started looking at social innovation, which struck a chord with me. I remember when I first started also feeling worried that maybe I didn’t know enough or couldn’t speak the lingo quite as well as the rest, and that is a feeling I still get every once and a while. This idea was then further fostered by an incredible talk by Diane Roussin. This got me thinking about how we can use this feeling of discomfort and turn it into an advantage for those looking to make change.
First off, what do you mean by discomfort? No, I don’t mean when you are lactose intolerant like me and steal a pint spoonful of ice cream. I mean signing up for an event that you are interested in but don’t know a lot about or answering a question on a zoom call that you might not be entirely confident about the answer.
However, taking a more serious note, I do want you to know that a healthy feeling of nervousness or uncertainty is not the same as trying to interact with a system actively working against you. People who face barriers, such as BIPOC folk, the LGBTQ2S+ community, people who have some reason why society judges and underestimates them for systemic reasons, face microaggressions and systemic forces that are actively trying to hinder your career or harm you, personally, and that is never okay. This blog isn’t about that kind of discomfort. Rather, it’s about growing your comfort in the unknown and building confidence overall by embracing and using that discomfort in a productive way. Writing this blog post was an example for me, thanks to my concern of making someone feel uncomfortable due to my language and the subject of discomfort in general. Everyone’s discomfort is their own to sort out and name.
So how are the three ways that you can use your discomfort to spark your social innovation?
1- Get comfortable with the discomfort
The old saying, you don’t know until you try; getting comfortable with not knowing everything is a scary thing (that is still safe and healthy for you), yet that is where our most significant growth comes from. Being willing to sit with your discomfort or not knowing which road to take is hard, but it can allow you to really hone in on where you can go next. Letting the path take you where it leads can be a freeing and refreshing experience.
2 -Meet with people who foster your curiosity
Sometimes we all need some people to bounce ideas off or reaffirm that we are heading in the right direction. Having people who help fill your bucket when it is running low (don’t know what I’m talking about–watch this cute video about it here) can feed your curiosity and make you feel fulfilled. So meet with your community, peers, and mentors and listen to what they have to say. Make connections with new people at different events and webinars, go for coffee and ask questions!
*hint hint, check out some of the great connections here through AB Seed and ABSI Connect events! If you want ABSI to treat you to coffee with a great new connection check out some more details here*
3 - Know that you are already a changemaker
One of the most inspiring things that I have heard recently came from an ABSI facilitator when she said that social innovation is being a changemaker with a system; everyone has probably already been a changemaker in their lives, so you’re halfway there. You may not know your next step, but you know what you’ve done before and how you’ve helped. Take time to think about how much of a changemaker you are already are and why you want to keep changing the world.
The world of social innovation may seem daunting to step into from the outside but rest assured, you are a part of a support network of people who are all working toward the same goal: creating a better world for everyone in it. And we can’t wait to see what awesome things you can do!