"Blessed Unrest" By Paul Hawken " A Theory Alive and Growing in Costa Rica's Volunteer Organizations"

"Blessed Unrest How the Largest Movement in the World Came into Being and Why No One Saw It Coming."  by Paul Hawken

"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique.....You have to keep open and aware directly to the urges that motivate you.  Keep the channel open.  There is no satisfaction whatever at any time.  There is only a queer, divine, dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the other"

  Martha Graham to Agnes de Mille, " /Blessed Unrest by Paul Hawken 

This book is a must and inspired read for anyone involved in grassroots change and volunteerism who has occasionally shaken their head in defeat and thought "Does this really make a difference?".  Written by Hawken, an environmentalist, entrepreneur and author, we are exposed to the harsh reality of our global pain (pain being a needed ingredient toward any change or movement)  yet we are offered hope in his chronicle of worldwide initiatives to heal the planet and improve the human condition. As Hawkins notes "While so much is going wrong, so much is going right"   His documentation in "Blessed Unrest" is eye opening.   An estimate of one or even two million organizations working toward ecological sustainability and social justice may not scratch the surface.  Accounts of Heroism, Passion, Growing Organization and Volunteer Spirit makes this required reading for today's Volunteer/Community Leader.   

I see Hawken's observations alive and well and indeed growing in my adopted country of  Costa Rica. Individuals and alliances are working one school at at time, one community at a time, even one child at a time to make a difference.  I also am happy to see the growth of this movement with Tourists visiting Costa Rica. They increasingly seek to do more than sip their Pina colada by the pool and rather combine their vacation with a  Volunteer Project and learning experience.  One such opportunity is through  Travel Adventures that has 2 week volunteer projects that include working with schools,  conservation and wildlife (iguana and sloth protection) and projects to benefit Costa Rica's Indigenous Groups.   www.MyTropicalAdventure.com.

This week I just learned about "Helping Hands Costa Rica" An  organization that in a country roughly the size of West Virginia,  is bringing Costa Rica's  grassroots organizations together in a strategical alliance and community partnership. Of course that's my phrase, not theirs.  For them it was just "A Pancake Breakfast" to help one of the member foundations.     As Hawken notes, the success of the new volunteer movement will "be defined by how rapidly it becomes a part of other sectors of society.  If it remains singular and isolated it will fail".  I couldn't agree more. 

In my own work with volunteer organizations and corporate teams seeking to go from Now to WOW tm, positive change and results always begin with a "Blessed Unrest" that then creates a pivot point and call to action.  From that dissatisfaction, we also see the bonding of human spirits, followed by a forward movement and growing synergy, where it seems the right pieces and players come together to become a True Force of NATURE!   

To read more ...check out these sites:

wiserearth.org or wiserbusiness.org.

Comments

[Scott Pralinsky]

Thanks for the great review and tips!

[Scott Pralinsky]

Thanks for the great review and tips!

[Michael Spalding]

Hi there,

I definitely recommend everyone check out www.wiserearth.org, because it is a result of Paul's research for Blessed Unrest and has become an online tool for movement visibility and connections. If the movement is analogous to the immune system, as Paul suggests, then its success depends on the quality of its connections. WiserEarth was designed to respond to community feedback about what connections are needed. And to get started, over 105,000 organizations have been entered and of that, 318 of those are in Costa Rica. People should check to make sure their favorite organization is representated and if not, go ahead and add it!