I first heard this term at a talk a few years ago. It has stayed with me. It feels like something I want in my toolbox.
It’s the notion that, in the middle of wildly disruptive seas (all the things going wrong with the world) it is possible to create “islands of sanity”.
Before you read on, I invite you to pause a minute and have a think. What does “island of sanity” evoke for you?
For me, it helps to think about it on two levels:
On a micro level, it’s little moments of connection. It’s listening to a Tim Ferriss podcast. It’s the belly laughs and moments of mutual understanding when I have a really good conversation. It’s times like this morning, when I did a “Yoga with Adriene” session and she said that if we all fill up our cups before we go out into the world, we’ll be better placed to fill other people’s cups. (Yes, to anyone who knew me back in the full-on Accenture days, I’ve changed!)
On a macro level, it’s continuing to explore who I am in the world and how I can contribute. This wasn’t even on my radar screen for much of my life, but I’ve been exploring it over the past decade or so. Part of this is overcoming my introvert preferences and getting out into the world to find my tribes. I start with things I’m already interested in, so it feels easier. For example, one of my favourite islands of sanity was Whalefest – an exciting festival in Brighton about all things marine-related. I volunteered with the organising team a few years ago. I had a blast, learned a lot and made lifelong friends. And we gave a platform for discussions about captive dolphin and orca shows.
“The future for dolphinaria” panel discussion at Whalefest, Brighton, 2015
I’ve had several islands of sanity in my life and hope to find (and help to create) many more.
Why am I writing about “islands of sanity” now? Because I’m hearing more and more people say that they’re having to limit how much news they consume.
It doesn’t mean they don’t care. It’s a normal self-defence reaction. Our brains didn’t evolve to be bombarded 24/7 with information about things we cannot control. It sends us into fight, flight or freeze. And maybe we feel guilty too, as we think we have no right to feel exhausted because we have it easy compared to other people. Or we look at people who have dedicated their lives to humanitarian or environmental work and admire them but think “I could never do that”.
This is where finding an island of sanity can help. You choose to focus on something which is within your circle of control. Maybe it’s connected to one of the bigger problems in the world, or maybe not. You get together with other people. And you shape the culture together, so that it’s a place where you feel drawn to go back. Maybe it’s just far enough outside of your comfort zone to be exciting, but not so far that you’re a nervous wreck or a liability! It’s a balance!
For me, one thing is for sure: the more islands of sanity we see springing up in the world, the better the world will be.
This is also because another key feature of islands of sanity is that they have permeable borders. It’s not about creating more echo chambers where one group of people decides they’re right and everyone else is wrong. There’s too much of that going on already! It’s about creating more connection. not less.
The person who came up with the term, and whose talk I saw at the 2017 Meaning Conference in Brighton, is called Margaret Wheatley. She used it with leaders, encouraging them to create the conditions for humans to band together and tackle social and environmental challenges. “More becomes possible as people engage together with compassion and discernment, self-determining their way forward.”*
Margaret Wheatley presenting at the Meaning Conference in Brighton, 2017
Tackling social and environmental challenges. That might sound like quite a lot to take on. Don’t let that put you off! Just take a breath and come back to what you think of when you hear the term “islands of sanity”.
Whatever appeals to you is a good place to start. Just be open and see where it leads you.
If you’d like a thinking partner and like the look of my coaching offering, get in touch (sally@sallymay.co.uk) or book a discovery call.
Further information
*Source: Margaret Wheatley, 2017, “Who do you choose to be? An invitation to the nobility of leadership”, available at https://margaretwheatley.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Margaret-Wheatley-2017-Leader_to_Leader.pdf
“In the midst of uncertainty, can you be an island of sanity? An interview with Dr Meg Wheatley”, 2020, available at https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/from-functioning-to-flourishing/202008/in-the-midst-of-uncertainty-can-you-be-an-island-of