Changing anything takes time. And when we want it to happen, we want it to happen now. It’s hard to hang on in the meantime. But here’s how I think it works:
First, you have to slow down.
Then, you have to actually stop.
Next, you need to turn around.
And now, you can start moving in a new direction.
This is hard enough when you’re trying to change something yourself. It’s exponentially more difficult when you want to move a social group.
But changing society is a whole other level of difficult.
Because slowing down (and stopping) usually brings the economy into the discussion.
And here we find (one of the many) tensions.
If the status quo isn’t just or equitable, and you need to flip the systems, how do you transition in a way that is just and equitable?
Start by acknowledging you need to change (slow down).
Plan to stop.
Figure out where to head (it helps if you’ve done most of the figuring out earlier on).
And then move.