“Activism. What’s in it for me?”

We are usually encouraged to engage in activism related to people who, essentially, are not us.

It makes sense; the notion of activism—any form of action stemming from empathy with general problems, or directly from others—includes “others” in its very definition.

But there is an angle no one has wanted to look at, or at least no one has seriously analyzed, as to why we should, to some extent, be activists, and that is the impact of helping others, outside our circle of acquaintances, on our own vital system.

It turns out that activism, in any form, is beneficial for our health.

And it’s beneficial for our health because it’s proven that there is a part of “activism” in all of us, a percentage of mental and physical energy that necessarily must be devoted to others, beyond ourselves.

If this is not exercised, it atrophies and seriously harms us.

One paradox is that we often feel detached from the concept of activists because we are asked to dedicate ourselves full-time. However, we’re not saying that we need to be professional activists, just like no one says we need to be professional runners, soccer players, or swimmers…

But we do need to swim, and we do need to run.

It has long been clear that engaging in some kind of physical activity is essential, otherwise, our bodies deteriorate at a much faster pace than normal.

What we are proposing is that, just as we are Homo Sapiens or Homo Ludens, we are also Homo Activarium. A species, ultimately, whose individuals need to help other individuals to survive.

Seen this way, activism covers not only a social or public need but primarily a personal need for those who engage in it.

This is therefore a call, not to see other people’s problems as our own or to try to step into other people’s shoes to understand that we are all part of a chain.

No.

This is a call to each of us as individuals to fully realize ourselves, to enhance our health and vital and emotional energy, by dedicating a percentage of our existence to helping, in whatever way, other members of our species.

Starting today.