The Wellbeing Summit for Social Change 2022 was an amazing gathering. This three-day conference was held in Bilbao, Spain, where expert speakers, activists, and artists from all over the world presented their work, introduced their visions, and shared their outlooks on how to create beneficial changes. For me, it signaled a very hopeful global momentum. Wellbeing Inspires Welldoing, as the Summit motto goes.
I am still processing this rich, extraordinary experience.
While I expected to be impressed by the speakers’ presentations—their credentials and activities were stellar—I had no idea how I would be affected.
Never mind being impressed! I was deeply moved. I felt connected to speakers who shared not only their stories as change makers, but their personal experiences on how to transcend pain, challenges, and trauma. They shared their inner, vulnerable selves as fellow human beings—particularly Louisa Zondo. It was unexpected and genuine.
By the end of the Summit, I felt a meaningful and strong new approach arising among all attendees. The understanding is we need to shift as humans. We need to look within ourselves, get curious about our minds, observe our concepts of self as a vital beginning.
This is where neuroscientist Dr. Richard Davidson’s talk on what contributes to human resilience and flourishing is so inspiring. Wellbeing begins within. This is supported by his innovative research on the brain bases of emotions.
Watch his presentation on how wellbeing is a skill we can all learn, how we are happier and healthier when we develop awareness, connection, insight, and purpose in life.
Wellbeing is the paradigm shift of our times. It begins with our own minds. We can work with our brain’s inherent neuroplasticity to create positive changes towards greater happiness and inner peace.
The process is dynamic and revealing. One engages and evolves towards an understanding of interdependence. In other words, we are all in it together. How we think, how we speak, how we act, forms collective, resonating consequences for each other and for our surroundings.
If you are curious about how one can begin, one way is to look at Healthy Minds, a free app developed by Dr. Davidson’s lab and researchers affiliated with University of Wisconsin-Madison. The app offers guided meditations and features built on the insights of neuroscience to cultivate and measure wellbeing.
Following Dr. Davidson’s talk, I gave my presentation, showing a trailer of the four experimental films we collaborated on together for the Summit, and describing the immersive workshop we would be conducting later that day.
The experimental films—Who Am I, Essence In | Essence Out, NeuroReflections, and Nature of Mind—were fully screened for the workshop.
Part of the immersive workshop was a guided practice led by Dr. Davidson during the screening of Who Am I, in which participants interacted with each other to investigate their sense of selves, their narrative identities.
Attendees shared during the Q&A that it was an insightful and surprising experience in the “Who Am I” immersive practice to discover stories they told about themselves!
I highly recommend you explore The Wellbeing Summit 2022 videos which feature incredible speakers, artists, and performances. I am so glad the organizers have now shared the Summit proceedings online.
Don’t miss MIT Professor and Composer Tod Machover in his talk, Humanizing Technology.
I find his innovative work stunning, inquisitive, and thoughtful—from his AI-assisted opera to his 40 hz gamma music aimed at healing the brain, to his collective composing with children and everyday sounds.
Also, watch entrepreneur Jay Coen Gilbert’s brilliant articulation of wellbeing in business, Re-Imagining Business from the Inside Out.
I feel so happy I was able to participate in the Summit. Thanks so much to The Wellbeing Summit 2022 creators, organizers, and supporters who made this wonderful event happen, and to Dr. Richard Davidson who was wonderful to collaborate with. Truly an enriching, extraordinary experience, with kind and innovative intentions to promote positive changes within and without!