Mental Health Potluck
Welcome to Mental Health Potluck Podcast, your go-to space for mental health insights and practical guidance for mental health and wellness. Hosted by Danny Clark, LCSW, this podcast blends expert knowledge with real-world strategies to support your well-being and personal growth. Whether you’re seeking tools for personal resilience, ways to ground your day, or insights to enhance your relationships, you’ll find thoughtful conversations and actionable wisdom here.
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Mental Health Potluck
Can One Day of Not Buying Change Anything?
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Podcast Title and Episode Number: The Power of Collective Action: How Small Choices Can Create Big Change – Ep. 4
Episode Summary
In this episode of [Podcast Name], Danny explores the power of collective action and how even small, individual choices can contribute to major societal shifts. With the backdrop of today’s economic blackout, a movement where consumers withhold their spending to protest corporate corruption and ethical concerns, Danny dives into the psychology of consumer activism and collective efficacy—the belief that together, we can create meaningful change.
Using historical examples like the Montgomery Bus Boycott, he breaks down why some movements succeed while others fade, and what psychological factors make people more likely to take action. The conversation also touches on the bystander effect, how identity shapes behavior, and why our small, daily choices matter more than we think.
The episode wraps up with a challenge for listeners: Take a moment to reflect on a recent decision you made. Did it align with your values? Sometimes, just noticing our choices is the first step toward making meaningful change.
Key Topics Covered
- The Economic Blackout & Consumer Activism – An overview of today’s consumer-led movement to pause spending at major corporations and why this kind of action can send a powerful message.
- The Montgomery Bus Boycott & Historical Context – A deep dive into how a year-long protest fundamentally changed segregation laws in the U.S. and what we can learn from its success.
- The Psychology of Collective Action – Understanding collective efficacy, the bystander effect, and why people struggle to believe their individual choices matter.
- Identity-Based Motivation – How small choices shape the way we see ourselves and influence long-term behavior.
Important Definitions & Concepts
- Collective Efficacy – The belief that when people act together, they can achieve meaningful change. It plays a major role in movements and protests.
- The Bystander Effect – A psychological phenomenon where individuals are less likely to take action when they believe someone else will step in. This can weaken movements when people assume others will take responsibility.
- Identity-Based Motivation – The concept that our behaviors reinforce our self-image. Making one conscious choice aligned with our values can shift how we see ourselves and create lasting habits.
Discussion & Reflection Questions
- Have you ever participated in a boycott or movement? What moti
About Danny Clark
Danny Clark is a licensed clinical social worker and family therapist based in Houston, Texas. As the founder of Texas Insight Center, he specializes in helping individuals, couples, and families navigate mental health challenges with practical, evidence-based approaches.
💡 Is therapy right for you? Let’s talk. If you’re struggling with stress or emotional regulation or just want to explore healthier coping strategies, reach out for a consultation. Visit www.texasinsightcenter.com to learn more and schedule a session.
📩 Have a question or topic suggestion? Send it to danny@texasinsightcenter.com
You can also follow me on Instagram @texasinsightcenter or visit my webpage at texasinsightcenter.com
Join the conversation! Share your key takeaways using #MentalHealthPotluck or tag me on social media.
So imagine this you wake up, grab your phone and decide that today, just for today, you're not spending a single dime at any major retailer no Amazon, no Starbucks, no mindless scrolling that leads to an accidental impulse buy, and especially no going to the $80 store, or, like I like to call it, target. Now you might be thinking big deal one day off from spending isn't going to make Jeff Bezos sweat. But here's the thing what if millions of people did the same thing? That's exactly what's happening today, on February 28th 2025. A grassroots economic blackout where people are choosing to withhold their spending to send a message about corporate power and consumer influence. But does that actually work? Or is this just another internet trend that will disappear by tomorrow? More importantly, what can we learn from this? About how small actions create big change in our own lives?
Speaker 1:Welcome to Mental Health Potluck, where everyone brings something to the table. I'm Danny Clark, licensed clinical social worker and family therapist, and this podcast is all about serving up bite-sized mental health insights, practical wellness tips and real conversations that nourish the mind and soul, and today we're going to talk about the power of collective action. All right, so let's break this down. This economic blackout is all about consumer activism, using the power of what we spend or don't spend to make a statement. Today, thousands, maybe even millions, of people are intentionally not shopping at major corporations to protest issues like corporate greed, workers' rights and ethical business practices. Now, let's be honest one day of skipping your latte isn't going to bankrupt a billion dollar company, but that's not really the point. The goal here is to remind people that money is power. When consumers act together, businesses listen, and we've seen this work before.
Speaker 1:So take the Montgomery bus boycott in 1955, for example. It started with one woman, rosa Parks, refusing to give up her seat, but what really made the difference was what happened next. The community in Montgomery, alabama, came together and stopped using the buses altogether. Now you've got to understand this wasn't a one-day thing. This boycott lasted 381 days. People walked to work, carpooled, did whatever they had to to avoid giving their money to a system that refused to respect them, and it worked. The transit system took a huge financial hit and the Supreme Court eventually ruled the segregation on public buses was unconstitutional. That was in 1955. This is 2025. The methods may have changed, but the core idea is the same when people work together, their actions have power.
Speaker 1:So why do some movements take off while others fizzle out? Let's say you're at a stadium and someone decides it's time to start the wave. You know the one where an entire section of fans stand up with their arms in the air and if it catches on, it spreads across the entire stadium. Well, here's what usually happens One guy usually way too enthusiastic jumps up and throws his arms in the air, and then nothing. No one follows. He tries again, still nothing. The reason why is because no one wants to be that second guy. But then finally a brave soul jumps in. Now, suddenly people in the surrounding sections think okay, maybe this is happening, and more people stand. The momentum builds and before you know it, the whole stadium is doing it and the original guy doesn't look so weird. After all, that's what we call collective efficacy, the belief that if we all contribute, something big will happen.
Speaker 1:The problem Most of us don't believe our individual actions matter, and that's why so many movements die before they even start, because we don't want to be the first person standing up waving our arms and looking ridiculous. So how do you make something like this stick? Well, first people have to actually believe that what they're doing has an impact. If it feels pointless, they're not going to do it. Then the movement needs momentum, it has to catch on with a few people before it really spreads and maybe the most important part it needs to be easy to participate. No one wants to do something that feels like an impossible task. The good news this economic blackout checks all the boxes. It's easy to participate. Just don't buy anything for one day. And if enough people do it, the message gets even louder. All right. So let's get real. Does skipping Amazon for one day actually do anything? It might not bring down a corporation, but it does something just as important. It changes how you see yourself.
Speaker 1:Psychologists call this identity-based motivation, the idea that the things we do shape how we see ourselves. You recycle. Once you start thinking of yourself as someone who cares about the environment, you run one 5k I don't know why, but you do. Suddenly you're a runner. It's not about the action itself. It's about how it reinforces who you are. The same thing applies here.
Speaker 1:If you take part in something like this, even for a day, it shifts the way you think about your power as a consumer and that mindset. That's what leads to real change, even for a day. It shifts the way you think about your power as a consumer. In that mindset, that's what leads to real change. Look, I'm not saying you need to boycott every major company forever, unless that's your thing, in which case more power to you. But this blackout is really about being more intentional with your choices. It's about stopping for a second and asking where's my money going? Who am I supporting, and does this align with my values? Maybe that means shopping small whenever possible. Maybe it means cutting back on impulse buys from companies that don't reflect what you stand for. Maybe it just means paying more attention, because once you start thinking about this stuff, you start making different choices. Maybe, just maybe, it means sharing this episode with somebody might carry the momentum needed for consumer change and yes, that is a shameless plug, because the more people who have the conversations, the more we will all start to think differently, and thinking differently about our power as consumers and citizens of this country can be a real shift in fostering positive change in the world.
Speaker 1:So here's something to think about. What's one small action you've taken recently that actually meant something to you? Not necessarily something life-changing, just a moment where you paused and made a choice that felt aligned with who you want to be. Maybe you chose to shop local instead of clicking buy now. Maybe you set your phone down and had an uninterrupted conversation with somebody. Maybe you just took a second to notice that your choices, no matter how small, actually shape the world around you. That's really what today is all about. The things we do, the decisions we make, they all add up, even if we don't see the results right away. They create momentum not just out in the world, but even within us. And if this episode got you thinking, keep the conversation going. Leave a comment, let me know what you think, or share it with somebody, talk about it, or just let it sit with you for a while, because sometimes the biggest changes start with just noticing what we've been doing all along. Thanks for listening to Mental Health Potluck. Until next time, stay mindful, stay intentional and stay engaged.
