People Have a Lot to Say About the Lives They Have Never Lived
posted 30th November 2022
“Some people have a lot to say about the lives they have never lived.”
This quote often comes to mind in my work within community and mental health settings. Every day, I ask myself: Who am I to decide what is right or good for someone else? Evidence matters but evidence alone isn’t enough. What works in one place doesn’t always translate seamlessly elsewhere. Services that succeed in Zimbabwe, for example, may need careful adaptation to truly meet the needs of communities here in the UK.
What I’ve seen time and again is this: real impact happens when evidence is informed by lived experience, shaped by local context, and grounded in what people themselves say works. Without starting with genuine conversations with the people whose lives we aim to support, we risk missing their unique needs.So the question I return to regularly is: Am I truly listening and engaging with the people whose lives I aim to impact, or do I just have a lot to say? True strength in this work isn’t about having all the answers it’s about listening, adapting, and showing up when it matters most. As Bob Marley reminds us: “You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice.”No Woman, No Cry....
