Social Impact Authors: How & Why Author Dr Terri L Lyon of Walden University Is Helping To Change Our World
Find the cause closest to your heart and focus on that with deep engagement. I spread myself thin, trying to solve every problem in my community. That is not a sustainable approach to change-making.
As part of my series about “authors who are making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Terri L. Lyon.
Dr. Lyon is a licensed Psychologist and professor at Walden University. On her website, Life At The Intersection, she guides new and unproductive activists to make an impact on their cause. Her books have been featured in Reader’s Digest.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive into the main focus of our interview, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?
I spent most of my childhood in Orlando, Florida, because my father supervised the plant that made hotel rooms for Walt Disney World’s Contemporary and Polynesian hotels.
My memories of Orlando during the Disney World boom were unending traffic, wild housing expansion, and, believe it or not, school sharing. One year, I went to school from 6:00 am to noon, and a completely different school used the building from 12 to 6:00 pm. I had PE in the dark. School zoning changed so much that my older brother and I simultaneously went to different high schools.
My mother cried for days after I got zoned to the high school in the “bad part of town.” This was one of many messages I received from my family that was rooted in prejudice. For example, my father insisted I attend college because “if my husband left me, I’d need a job.” After my engagement to my boyfriend Pat, whose father is Hispanic, a family member called me not to offer congratulations but to say, “So I hear you are marrying a spic.”
It is confusing when you don’t share the same beliefs as your family. Looking back, I know I experienced a lot of cognitive dissonance, that feeling of disconnect when you realize what you’ve been taught is inaccurate. Or that the trusted people in your life don’t necessarily practice the morals they preach.
Everyone must, eventually, resolve this uncomfortable feeling. Some people lean into what they are taught by listening to the same messages and tuning in to the same biased news. They change their beliefs to resolve the disconnect.
Some people do nothing because society has a reward and punishment system that prevents you from taking a stand. Your parents might ignore you if you ask why you are not allowed to play with certain kids. Or you might be punished if you ask questions. When you comply with their teachings, you are praised. But with that inaction comes anxiety, shame, and guilt. I stayed quiet for a long, long time.
I shielded my husband and kids from the worst of my extended family. Our staunch rule at family reunions to avoid religion or politics usually resulted in quasi-decent behavior. But my husband caught on, of course, and one day asked, “How did you come out of that family?”
Whatever the reason, I’m ashamed and embarrassed I stayed quiet for so long. I was a free rider in social change, enjoying the ride but letting others pay the cost.
When you were younger, was there a book that you read that inspired you to take action or changed your life? Can you share a story about that?
My favorite childhood book was Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, perhaps because I could relate to Scout as she tries to decipher the injustices she witnesses. But I’d rather be more general and say that reading changed my life. Living three blocks from our local library, I wore out the sidewalk, biking my way back and forth. Access to books in school and my community helped develop my critical thinking skills, and each character I was introduced to helped me better understand humankind. Perhaps that answers my husband’s question: “How did you come out of that family?” Books expanded my worldview.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
When I got off the sidelines and into social change, I made many mistakes that I learned from, but none were funny. I was scared for our democracy and the negative impact of the government on the people I love.
Ironically, my early experiences in social change led me to write my book, The Happy Activist: Journey the 5-Step Activism Path to Focus Your Passion and Change the World. Activism can be joyful. And funny, too. I just couldn’t see it then.
Can you describe how you aim to make a significant social impact with your book?
Less than 50% of Americans participate in social change, and the activism dropout rate is high, with only a tiny percentage of activists staying committed long-term.
Like me, many people get involved in social change and find themselves drained and unmotivated. With so many pressing issues, we need everyone off the sidelines.
The Happy Activist challenges the stereotype that activism must be difficult and promotes a joy-driven approach to lasting change. New and seasoned activists can find joy and fulfillment in their activism. The activists I work with find joy in making change, even when challenging, because they live their values for a cause they care deeply about. And they do so in a way that brings them joy.
Companion books include The 5-Step Activism Path Workbook and A Common Core Aligned Teacher’s Guide to support educators and community leaders to inspire and empower the next generation of activists.
Can you share with us the most interesting story that you shared in your book?
The Happy Activist contains profiles after each chapter called “Activists in Action.” The art as activism stories are my favorites because they highlight the use of skills that are not traditionally considered for activism. If you love to paint, why not use that that skill to make change, like my friend Carl Gombert, who created a series of self-portraits where he varied the skin tone, hair color, and clothing. When you browse the series of portraits, you find yourself reacting differently to each one. Yet they are all Carl. It is such a powerful way to demonstrate how context influences racism.
In addition to profiles, I share examples of activists using creative techniques. Artist Peter Von Tiesenhausen used an innovative approach to prevent a pipeline from going through his property. He created an art installation, which he copyrighted. Lifeline is a segment of white picket fence that he adds a segment to each year. The deterioration of the fence highlights the fragility of human presence on Earth.
What was the “aha moment” or series of events that made you decide to bring your message to the greater world? Can you share a story about that?
My wake-up call came from the shocking result of the 2016 election. I’d been hiding and letting others do the arduous work of making change. But on election night, I decided I wouldn’t be afraid to speak up anymore.
I marched and called my elected representatives so often that I recognized the aides’ voices. I was lurching around, trying to get up to speed on activism and using my time in a scatter-shot fashion. And, of course, I ended up with burnout.
I finally decided what to do. Instead of taking it to the streets, I decided to go to the library. Since I felt such love for books, I was sure they would tell me the two things I wanted to know about activism — how to get started and be effective. They didn’t.
I read every book I could lay my hands on to help me focus my efforts and move confidently into activism work. However, I did not find a book that gave me the direction and confidence I wanted. My social concerns are varied and broad, and no one book helped me focus on the best match for my skills and passions. Most books are for those who are sure of their cause.
So, I reviewed research, books, and other sources and put together a process incorporating research results and best practices. The result is my 5-Step Activism Path on which I based The Happy Activist. What I learned helped me focus my passion and change the world, and the books are doing the same for new and seasoned activists.
Without sharing specific names, can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?
I’m lucky to teach at Walden University, which includes a social change focus in its curriculum. Since these are Psychology graduate students, their social change goals center on mental health activism. When they prepare their professional and personal goals for social change, I encourage them to ensure they are effective and enjoy their work.
In my book with mental health activist Trish Lockard, Make a Difference with Mental Health Activism, we provide examples of the many ways activists can reduce stigma and increase awareness and services. One of my students mentioned she wanted to work with children, so I told her about the Superhero “NAMI Man,” a.k.a. Nick Emeigh. Nick volunteers for his National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) affiliate to reduce the stigma of mental illness. “Nami Man” visits pediatric behavioral health units and talks to the kids about how getting help is his superpower and how they are superheroes for getting help, too.
My student was delighted with this story and immediately piggy-backed on the idea, wondering out loud how she could use her love of theater to help children.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
The root problem I want to solve is getting people off the sidelines to make a difference for the cause closest to their hearts and make the world a better place for everyone.
- Everyone, including politicians and community leaders, must consider the impact of the world’s most pressing issues — climate change, war, terrorism, famine, and challenges to democracy. Although I tell people to focus on the cause closest to their heart, I rank climate change as the most significant problem the world needs to solve. As an issue, it encompasses many others, such as environmentalism, human rights, immigration, and famine. Climate change causes the biggest problems for the most vulnerable people on Earth.
- Another critical issue is peace; peacebuilding and its methods to develop a peace culture are essential for solving world problems.
- Finally, we should educate the next generation to contribute to social change. Like my students at Walden University, who plan their professional and personal goals for social change, we should do the same in our educational systems. Do not just ask, “What do you want to be when you grow up? With a hat tip to Ghandi, ask, “How are you going to be the change you wish to see?”
How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?
I’ve taught leadership for years, and there are many definitions of leadership depending on how researchers study it. However, I have also worked in applied settings. I define leadership by identifying behaviors that make it easier to understand and apply. Try it — think about the best leader you ever had. What did they do to make you accept their influence and do what they wished?
In activism, leadership takes several forms. Obviously, leaders are necessary for social change movements and nonprofit organizations. In fact, leadership is one of the most critical needs in activism because of the huge potential to make a difference.
But I believe we are all leaders somehow, and the root of that is influence. Managers influence their employees, teachers influence their students, parents influence their children, and activists influence others. Influence is the root of advocacy. You are a leader when you speak with someone about your cause to educate them and hopefully change their behavior.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
When I got off the sidelines and into activism, I did it with my typical style — I was going to solve all the problems in my community. The result was that I experienced burnout. Not only was I feeling tired and stressed, I wondered whether all the work I had put into activism had made a difference. So, these were my learnings:
- Find the cause closest to your heart and focus on that with deep engagement. I spread myself thin, trying to solve every problem in my community. That is not a sustainable approach to change-making.
- Use your best, most enjoyable skill. As I approached problems in my community, I tried to solve them without thinking about where my skills made a good match with community issues. Instead, I learned that the things I do well are the things I should apply to making change. I’m a bit shy, so doing work that involved a lot of face-to-face interaction left me exhausted. However, I’m good at teaching and creating instruction, and I apply that in my activism work.
- Choose an activism method you enjoy. When people think of activism, they often think about angry protestors. Of course, protest is part of raising awareness about an issue. But I consider this a tool for mobilization, but not where you connect with deep engagement on the cause closest to your heart. Imagine how much more motivated you would be if you applied what you like to do to social change. If you enjoy sports, start a youth club for kids vulnerable to gangs. If you enjoy needlepoint, create inspirational messages and yarn bomb your community.
- Focus on work that makes an impact. This is the hardest lesson for activists. It is so easy to jump into the obvious opportunity without taking time to reflect on your potential impact.
- Have a plan to stay motivated. Motivation is strengthened by goal setting. We are more likely to succeed when we have a clear, measurable goal. And because activism can be challenging, understanding how your body reacts to stress and your best coping strategies is critical. I experience stress in my stomach, others get a headache or neck pain. Monitoring your stress means you can head it off before it becomes overwhelming with coping strategies such as breathwork, exercise, meditation, and hobbies such as gardening.
These lessons are the core of my 5-Step Activism Path. I hope future changemakers can avoid my mistakes and instead take time to reflect on how they can be effective and motivated.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
My favorite quote is from Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani-born 2014 Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
“Peace in every home, every street, every village, every country — this is my dream.”
Malala’s quote is in the preface of my upcoming book with activist Trish Lockard, Make a Difference with Peacebuilding Activism. This quote resonates with me for several reasons. Many people think of peace as an absence of conflict. But Malala has a bigger dream of a world focused on peacebuilding. This involves the transformation of the way we relate to one another, work together fairly and inclusively, and create a world based on justice. I also love how she references the different levels at which peacebuilding occurs, the ever-widening circles of ways we can live in harmony. This is my dream, too.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
Malala, of course!
How can our readers further follow your work online?
On my website, Life at The Intersection, I provide resources for activists at all levels — from those just getting started to experienced activists who want to be more motivated and productive.
My books are available on my website and at Amazon:
- The Happy Activist: Journey the 5-Step Activism Path to Focus Your Passion and Change the World
- Make a Difference with Mental Health Activism
- The 5-Step Activism Path Workbook
- A Common Core-Aligned Teacher Guide to The Happy Activist and The 5-Step Activism Path Workbook
Try my Walden University best-selling micro-courses:
- “Mental Health in the Workplace: Creating a Caring Culture,”
- “Making a Difference with Mental Health Activism”
- “Finding the Social Change Cause Closest to Your Heart.”
Like my Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/LifeAtTheIntSec/
Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/terri-lyon/
Follow me on X: @LifeAtTheIntSec
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
Social Impact Authors: How & Why Author Dr Terri L Lyon of Walden University Is Helping To Change… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.