by Khanyi & Vera

Everyone has the right to call themselves a victim at this historical moment – a victim of the fallout around Covid, to a smaller or larger extent. So much has happened in the last year that is unrelated to any action on our part, that feels like it is beyond our control. Admittedly, the pandemic has affected us to different degrees, but all our lives have been changed.

Everyone has the right to call themselves a victim, but not everyone chooses to label themselves that way. Many could choose to call themselves victims given their circumstances and experiences, but not everyone subscribes to the stereotype. What are the perceived benefits to seeing ourselves as the victim in a situation? Is it worth the fight for first place? Is there a hierarchy of victimhood and an overall victim victor? What do we lose when we shake off the label?

What makes the difference? Is it genes, personality, previous experience, varying levels of resilience? Are the reasons beyond our spheres of influence – or is there something we can do to be an agent and not a victim?

At ThinkThru-TalkThru we believe that each one of us has the power to choose agency. We recognise that the path to realise our potential is not necessarily going to be an easy one. It will require energy and dedication to keep going even when it gets tough. We are committed to continually investigating how agency and personal power can be re-discovered and developed. We look forward to the opportunity to journey with fellow sojourners, thinking and talking together as we make use of the tools at our disposal – coaching conversations, Think Tanks, Diversity Dialogues, Dialogues inspired by Poetry, Blogs, Podcasts, YouTube videos (both coming soon). We are convinced that there is much to be learned in a community encounter where diverse opinions and experiences enrich us all – we can all give and receive.

Please share some of your stories with us – both the victories and the continuing challenges, and let us progress on this path together.