AT THE HEART OF IT – EPISODE 0

A Declaration of Wellbeing

Discover the mission behind The Wellbeing Project and the power of wellbeing in changemaking

Welcome to At The Heart Of It, a new podcast by The Wellbeing Project. In this inaugural episode, we dive into our mission to revolutionize social change through the lens of wellbeing. Explore who we are, our global network of changemakers, and why wellbeing is central to creating impactful, lasting change. Join us as we share our journey, values, and the powerful belief that wellbeing fuels effective action.

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Welcome to At The Heart Of It, a new podcast from The Wellbeing Project. We’re the world’s leading organization advocating for the wellbeing of changemakers and for wellbeing in changemaking.  We’re on a mission to change how we do social change, and we’re really happy you’re here.

You may have some questions already, like why wellbeing?

Or what’s a changemaker?

Maybe even, wellbeing? 

Don’t we have more important things to talk about?

All good questions, but let’s just start with who we are.

The Wellbeing Project is a global network of thousands of individuals and organizations who all share one common belief that wellbeing inspires welldoing.

Our partners are social entrepreneurs,  doctors, humanitarian workers, researchers, therapists, Indigenous leaders, elected officials, caregivers, teachers, frontline workers, people from all walks of life who see the power of wellbeing to make our world a better place.

Since 2014, we have been emerging as a co-creation from some of the world’s biggest social impact organizations, like Ashoka, Synergos, Impact Hub, Skoll Foundation, Porticus, and Georgetown University. 

We’ve added many more institutions along the way to this collective effort. All of these institutions work with incredible changemakers from around the world, and they were starting to see something really troubling among them.

The people who had so much love for the world – for their communities, their countries, the planet – so much love that they were dedicating their lives to serving others: they were struggling. They’re facing chronic stress, burnout, anxiety, depression. They were facing traumas in their personal and professional lives. They were feeling the weight of the world on their shoulders. Fighting for change in their outer worlds, as well as on the inside. They were doing all of this alone. In silence. Because this was the culture of social change: to give every part of yourself in the service of others. To work yourself to burnout. To put your work first and your health last. This was the norm. And to share your struggles was taboo. A sign of weakness. A sign of failure.

And wellbeing? Who has time to think about wellbeing when you’re trying to save the world? 

The Wellbeing Project was born out of the growing recognition that changemakers need wellbeing to be their best selves. Not just successful leaders, effective activists, and hard workers, but their best full selves: community members, parents, siblings, individuals, dreamers, creators, human beings.

In 2014, we accompanied dozens of seasoned changemakers on a journey of inner development to understand their struggles and help foster their wellbeing. What we and these changemakers saw was nothing short of transformation. A whole new way of being. A whole new way of leading. A whole new way of driving change. The ripple effects of inner wellbeing were felt in their organizations and in their impact, and it was clear: wellbeing inspires welldoing. 

So since 2014, we have been working to share this message of hope in the social change sector, to educate, inspire, and guide changemakers on a path to wellbeing, and strengthen their approach to welldoing.

If wellbeing inspires welldoing within an individual and an organization, what about our societies? We are now seeing a monumental drive worldwide for our economic systems, political structures, and legal frameworks to enable the wellbeing of people and the planet. We have seen wellbeing become the driver and the destination of social change itself.

But while we’ve seen such an inspiring transformation in this space, we still have work to do. We recognize the growing complexity and intensity of the world today. We’re facing social and environmental battles from left to right, north to south. We’re facing political division, economic instability, social inequality, environmental destruction, injustice, and trauma. 

Our world needs social change more than ever. And at the heart of it, we need wellbeing. So welcome to our podcast, where we’re telling stories of wellbeing changing the world. We’re meeting the changemakers whose own journeys of wellbeing inspire the welldoing, digging deep into what this has meant to them and understanding the influence of wellbeing in their lives.

You’ll hear stories of inner development work like self-reflection, personal growth, and healing. You’ll hear stories on key topics like human rights, climate change, and leadership. And you’ll hear stories of social change like advocacy, education, and community service.

But what you won’t hear is a definition of wellbeing because we believe in the emotional. We believe in the unique. And we believe in wellbeing that’s defined by individuals, that’s defined in different regions, based on the land, the culture, and the history.

Together, we’re bringing individual colors to a global mosaic, a collective painting of our shared commitment to wellbeing.  We asked thousands of people to help us capture the spirit of our movement through words, resulting in a declaration of wellbeing.

Here’s Jazmine Williams, reading it at our first-ever global summit in 2022.

Good morning. My name is Jazmine Williams and I’d like to share with you all this morning a declaration of wellbeing written by Anne Mortifee.

A spirit of promise is calling us inward to see ourselves clearly, to heal what needs healing and bring harmony back to the earth. We feel it in the depth of our nature and rise to the call of life’s urge to evolve. We are Pathfinders. Caregivers, weavers of dreams, pilgrims on a journey to discover the self from every walk of life. 

Every faith, race, and culture, the sounds of our footsteps are heard. Inspired by the ones who traveled before us, we press on for the ones yet to follow. Moved by an ancient vision of a more compassionate world.  We seek wellbeing for all of creation,  for love and justice.  Peace and truth to thrive and enliven us all.

We have learned that the light which ignites the stars is the same light that flows through all things. And through all things flows wellbeing. 

So let’s jump in, let’s dive deep,  and let’s get to the heart of it.

 Thank you for listening to this episode of, At The Heart Of It. For more news research and stories about wellbeing and social change, visit wellbeing-project.org. The Wellbeing Project is the world’s leading organization advocating for the wellbeing of changemakers and for wellbeing in changemaking. We believe wellbeing inspires while doing. Thanks for listening and see you next time!

Our Wellbeing Matters Our Wellbeing Matters

Let’s Get The Conversation Started

Our most prominent global issues — climate change, wars, pandemic, inflation — take both a physical and mental toll on us. In challenging times, it’s essential to prioritize our own wellbeing in order to build a better world.

Over the past year, The Wellbeing Project partnered with Skoll Foundation and TEDx to surface and spotlight new ideas from TEDxSãoPaulo, TEDxAtlanta, and the global TEDx community that explore how we can nurture wellbeing in our communities and in ourselves.

It Starts With Us It Starts With Us

Take a look inward with the help of poets, financial tech executives, bishops, and social activists.

Our Right To Pleasure & Wellbeing

Mallika Dutt – TEDxSãoPaulo

Blank Space: Honoring the potential of every young girl

Chanel H. Frazier – TEDxAtlantaWomen

Why here? Why now? Why us?

Jazmine Williams – TEDxSãoPaulo

How To Change Your Mind How To Change Your Mind

What does it take to break an old pattern, and what is possible when we shift our mindset?

Through Guilt To The Wind

Barry Kerzin – TEDxSãoPaulo

Work Is Not Your Family

Gloria Chan Packer – TEDxUTAustin

What Impossible Things Can We Do Together?

Yazmany Arboleda – TEDxSãoPaulo

The Doctor Is InThe Doctor Is In

Food for thought from PhDs and health practitioners on how reconnecting with ourselves can help us fight the good fight.

Why We Need To Change Our Gender Stories

Deepa Narayan – TEDxSãoPaulo

How Traditional Djembe Drumming Can Help Heal Trauma

Francis Agyakwa – TEDxMileHigh

What happens when your therapist breaks up with you?

Kanzie Rowland – TEDxAtlantaWomen

If You Have A Body, You Deserve Wellbeing

Sará King – TEDxSãoPaulo

Declaration Of Wellbeing

The Words Guiding Our Movement

In the two years before the first Global Wellbeing Summit, which took place in Bilbao in 2022, we embarked on a broad collaborative effort to create ‘A Declaration of Wellbeing.’  Our global community of changemakers wanted to express the essence of this work through a public statement.

This inspiring document is the culmination of thousands of inputs received from around the world.  All of this input was then translated, through the creative talent of Ann Mortifee, into a shared vision for wellbeing. It serves as a profound collective declaration to our commitment to fostering wellbeing and highlights its transformative power in our pursuit of a better world.  Read the full text below.

A Declaration Of Wellbeing

By Ann Mortifee

A spirit of promise is calling us inward, to see ourselves clearly, to heal what needs healing, and bring harmony back to the earth. We feel it in the depth of our nature and rise to the call of life’s urge to evolve. We are pathfinders, caregivers, weavers of dreams, pilgrims on a journey to discover the self.

From every walk of life, every faith, race and culture the sound of our footsteps are heard. Inspired by the ones who travelled before us, we press on for the ones yet to follow. Moved by an ancient vision of a more compassionate world, we seek wellbeing for all of creation, for love and justice, peace and truth, to thrive and enliven us all.

We have learned that the light which ignites the stars is the same light that flows through all things. We are sparks in the body of a mighty creation, born to imagine what once seemed impossible. Together we cast a rainbow of hope, kindling thoughts and ideas to quicken, unfold and transform.

From deep, deep within, we know we belong to this dream that is wanting to be. Adventure with us and with patient resolve, we will heal our own hearts to bring health to the whole. We are warriors, advocates, lovers of truth. We are changemakers, story tellers, bringers of beauty. We commit ourselves to being well and at peace for this vast, most mysterious world.”

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Declaration Of Wellbeing read by Jazmine Williams

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“Why here? Why now? Why us?” A poem by Jazmine Williams

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Inspired by Ann Mortifee’s “A Declaration of Wellbeing,” Jazmine’s powerful words explore our place and purpose in driving societal transformation. Experience the profound impact of her performance as she challenges the audience to reflect on the interconnectedness of our lives and the urgency for change.

Why here? Why now? Why us?

By Jazmine Williams

97% percent of human DNA
Is shared with stardust
In our very fingertips
are 4 billion years of supernova deaths and rebirths That traveled at the speed of light

Carrying in their dance between comets
A paint brush dipped in evidence of consciousness That culminates
In these bodies
On this Earth
Holding a celestial wisdom so ancient
humanity begs the questions
Why here?
Why now?
Why me?

On this planet suspended in artificial distraction We are the breath of remembrance
For our siblings seduced
by fear and greed and violence

The living proof that their wars are all in vain That the pursuit of power paid in blood
is a waste of an incarnation
We insist that apathy is not of the sky

We come from a home that all humans do
One that transcends corruption
And speaks in a currency of love and connection

The truth seekers and caretakers Dreamers and creators
Meet the world at the crack of its eye To whisper:

“There is nothing the descendants of stars lack”

Billions of years of space and time
are held in our frames
With resources at our disposal beyond our wildest vision boards Beyond oil and diamonds and exploited labor
Larger than global hunger
Bigger than burnout
relationships sacrificed for salaries
Or imposter syndrome

We are connected to the source Activated by rest and nourishment and the caress of silence
Between births of inspired awareness And deaths of dogma and ego

These bodies we inhabit are worthy of the grace We so passionately pursue for others
In fact, quiet as kept
Our wellbeing is essential to effective activism As we free ourselves

we free the world
Bearing witness to the miracle of one another
Like comets illuminating the dust that flew
Off the big bang to travel to the edge of the universe And create
Us.”

WELLbinar: The relationship between Art and Wellbeing, featuring Joshua Roman and Jazmine Williams WELLbinar: The relationship between Art and Wellbeing, featuring Joshua Roman and Jazmine Williams

Hosts: Sharon Salzberg & Parker J. Palmer

Guest: Joshua Roman & Jazmine Williams

March 15, 2022

Hosts Sharon Salzberg and Parker J. Palmer are joined by Joshua Roman, cellist, composer and curator, and Jazmine Williams, poet writer and producer, to discuss the power of the arts for individuals and communities. Through the live practice of “slow listening,” we explore how the quality of experiencing artwork connects to our feelings and our wellbeing.

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