Sensitive souls--including those who consider themselves highly emotional, empathic, or introverted--have much to contribute to bringing about a more just and equitable world. Such individuals are wise, thoughtful, and conscientious; they feel more deeply and see things that others don't. We need their contributions. Yet, sustaining justice work can be particularly challenging for the sensitive, and it requires a deep level of self-awareness, intentionality, and care.
In Social Justice for the Sensitive Soul, writer Dorcas Cheng-Tozun (Enneagram 4, INFJ, nonprofit/social enterprise professional, and multiple-burnout survivor) offers six possible pathways for sensitive types:
- Connectors: relational activists whose interactions and conversations build the social capital necessary for change
- Creatives: artists and creators whose work inspires, sheds light, makes connections, and brings issues into the public consciousness
- Record Keepers: archivists who preserve essential information and hold our collective memory and history
- Builders: inventors, programmers, and engineers who center empathy as they develop society-changing products and technologies
- Equippers: educators, mentors, and elders who build skills and knowledge within movements and shepherd the next generation of changemakers
- Researchers: data-driven individuals who utilize information as a persuasive tool to effect change and propose options for improvement
Alongside inspiring, real-life examples of highly sensitive world-changers, Cheng-Tozun expands the possibilities of how to have a positive social impact, affirming the particular gifts and talents that sensitive souls offer to a hurting world.