I dedicate “A Humanitarian Manifesto” for the teachers, the healers, the activists, the caregivers, the health-care professionals, the first responders, the public servants, the government workers, the clergy, the journalists, the international aid and development corps, the judges, the lawyers, and all those who work have dedicated their lives to serving others and alleviating pain and suffering in the world.
I want you to know that I see you, and I appreciate you.
As we bring this podcast to a close, I want to leave you with one last thought: the work never ends, and at the end of the day everyone—and I mean everyone—is replaceable. We have to choose to prioritize our health and well-being as individuals and as organizations. Doing so is not selfish or unprofessional—it’s an absolute necessity if we want to continue doing the work we love, and that the world needs us to do, now more than ever.
My greatest wish is that you begin to create awareness and practice self-compassion to heal your stories and move toward being happier and healthier in your life and work. Remember that the narratives that have shaped us and defined your experiences and actions up to this point, don’t have to be permanent. Through mindful awareness, self-compassion, and agency, you can cultivate the capacity to make new choices that will better serve you, help you to heal, and move forward with greater hope, joy, and connection.
Remember, at the heart of the word “humanitarian” is “human.” We can choose to serve others without sacrificing ourselves. Thank you for all that you do, and thank you for your service.
If you're inspired by this message and want to dive deeper into how to embody service without sacrifice, you can learn more in my book, “Tell Me My Story—Challenging the Narrative of Service Before Self.” Let's continue to support each other as we challenge outdated narratives and move forward in our journey towards a more compassionate and sustainable approach to serving others without sacrificing ourselves. And please consider sharing this podcast and my book with others who need to hear this message.
Highlights from the Manifesto:
As humanitarians, we face unique challenges and are asked for deep sacrifices. "For generations, we've been conditioned to believe that by choosing a career in service of others, we agree to sacrifice our time, our relationships, our health and well-being, our humanity."
The organizations we work for also play a role in ensuring we are able to continue that work in a healthy way. "The organizations through which we serve often choose not to see our humanity. They choose not to acknowledge our trauma. They choose not to help us heal our pain."
You are not selfish for taking care of yourself. "To do anything different, to set boundaries, to prioritize self-care, to be less than perfect, is selfish, unprofessional."
Global crises like the pandemic have a deep and lasting effect on us. "We, too, like the people we serve, have navigated the challenges of a global pandemic. We, too, endure the traumas of social and racial inequities, subtle acts of exclusion and war."
There is a better way for all of us. "We now choose to believe that we deserve more, we deserve better, and we deserve to have our humanity acknowledged and protected."
Commit to changing the status quo and create a human-centered approach to service. "As individuals, we commit to taking radical responsibility, to embodying mindful awareness, to redefining self-care, to setting clear boundaries, and to becoming radically human leaders."
The only way we’ll succeed in this is through our combined effort, including everyone whose lives are touched by those who serve. "We'll work together to rewrite the longstanding narrative of service before self and shift our collective expectations about what it means to be of service."
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BONUS RECORDING: Service Without Sacrifice—A Humanitarian Manifesto | Excerpted from Tell Me My Story by Dimple D. Dhabalia