WHY FORM A SWELL?

We were told public technology would connect us. Instead, it has divided us. Let’s take back our relationships with each other by committing to gathering in small private groups. Social media use has created a lot of relational bad habits. We have been judged, dismissed, trolled and bullied online. Online activities and mobile phone addiction are contributing to mental health issues. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that “approximately 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. (46.6 million) experience mental illness in a given year. Having healthy relationships significantly contributes to healthy wellbeing. We need to remember there is more to connection than a moment of agreement or disagreement. When we allow most of our human interactions to be online and transactional, we starve ourselves from the relational nutrition we need to feel mentally and physically well.

The simple act of coming together in small, private groups will help each us think about and reevaluate what human values are important to us. We recommend creating a local, national and international swell group. Each swell group should have 8-12 people in it. Include people you trust, love and admire. You must personally know each person in your swell and have their direct contact information. Think about what values, skills and knowledge, you want to be represented in your “swell.” If you don’t know a person with these characteristics, use your list creation as an opportunity to seek out new people to connect with. To be in someone’s swell is a huge honor and should be treated as such. We highly recommend organizing your swell groups with private messaging services like Signal.org. Use your digital swell group to discuss worldly concerns and personal development and to plan offline gatherings. When you register to be a Swell Leader, you will receive a support kit with tips for getting started and managing your group.