One final thought on advocacy – try not to let it take over your life.
Considering the current state of political and emotional unrest in the U.S. it’s easy to see how advocates can get … caught up.
I’ve had occasions when something has happened in my personal world that has spurred me to action. It’s hard not to take things personally when something happens to someone you love or that you can relate to.
I’m not suggesting that you don’t react to those things – in fact that’s usually when change happens.
We have to be mindful of how much time and emotional capital we spend on fighting back and how much effect it has on the rest of our life. Have you stop spending time with family? Have you forgotten about a hobby you used to love? Has your to-do list gotten too long to do? When was the last time that you did something for yourself?
It’s also important to be aware of how we treat others.
We may have to try hard to find the high road sometimes. Is it really worth your time and energy to “school” the internet troll? Or will responding only serve to raise your blood pressure? The most vocal people on social media won’t change their minds, no matter what you say.
Also, it’s important to keep an open mind. We may be strong in our convictions but it never hurts to listen to someone else’s point of view. There may be more than one answer.
Personally, I think one of the most important things about advocacy is learning where my rights stop and others’ begin. Allowing each person the right to their own truth.
It’s one of the values we’ve based The Road on:
OUR VALUES
The Road We’ve Shared is built firmly on the concept of mutual respect for all viewpoints. We value the lives and individuality of adults who have Down syndrome and we will show the same respect for each other and the different paths we choose while we support our loved ones. This community is dedicated to the memory and legacy of Ethan Saylor. No one will be discriminated against for any reason including position in life, religious or political beliefs, or cultural perspective.
And that does it for this year’s April A to Z Blogging Challenge for this year. I hope you’ve enjoyed our look at advocacy in the Ds community.