Hi friends, I’m Michelle from Opting Out, based in Brighton, UK. Here I share regular posts on slow living, rest, and opting out of burnout culture, plus my weekly Weekend Mood Board of what’s currently inspiring me. Subscribers get access to our asynchronous Slow Reading Group, yoga nidra audios and pre-recorded full-length restorative and yin yoga classes.
It’s my dream to create a community of misfits, questioners and resters. Are you in? ✨
Making Sense of Social Impact
In this chapter, Dani Bicknell invites us to slow down and think carefully about what social impact really means. At first glance, it might feel straightforward: making a difference, doing good in the world. But Dani points out that in much of our culture, social impact is treated as a nice extra, an aside, while the “real” work is focused on turning a profit.
She asks us to consider social impact not just in terms of intention, but also in alignment with our personal values. For example, if we value ahimsa, doing no harm, how might this shape the way we show up in the world, the choices we make, and the work we undertake? In a society steeped in internalised capitalism, where instant gratification and convenience are prioritised over such values, it can feel like a constant push against the tide: fast fashion, zero-hours contract delivery drivers, systems built to move quickly while disregarding wellbeing.
To cultivate social impact, Dani suggests, we first need to be clear on our own value systems and aspirations. We need to notice where they align or clash with the dominant culture, and not be afraid to act from our own principles.
She also emphasises the importance of community. Capitalism and imperialist white supremacy thrive on competition, individualism, and isolation. By contrast, when we come together in collaboration, supporting purpose, sustainability, and shared values over profit, we create the conditions for genuine impact. Social change isn’t a solo endeavour, it’s relational.
Finally, Dani reminds us that what society truly needs is not more billionaires, but more care, creativity, art, and healing work — those things that nourish and enrich our communities, even if they don’t scale on a spreadsheet or appear in quarterly reports.
Reading this slowly, we are invited to consider how social impact is not only about what we do externally, but how we orient ourselves internally: to our values, our intentions, and the connections we foster along the way.
Slow Reflections
You might like to sit with one or two of these questions over the coming days:
How do you define social impact in your own life, work, or practice?
Where are your personal values most visible in your daily choices? Where are they compromised?
How does the pressure of instant gratification or convenience show up for you?
In what ways have isolation or competition shaped your ability to act from your values?
Who are the people, communities, or spaces that support your alignment with purpose and sustainability?
What forms of creativity, caretaking, or healing feel most necessary to your community, and how do you honour them?
This is a great resource from Brené Brown on living into our values.