If Anger is the engine, Love is the fuel

Life has its challenges, and even when chaos seems to be everywhere, we can forge a sense of 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧.

In the beginning of 2025, it is urgent to talk less and act more in order to make this world a better place before our time runs out.

And when we do speak, let’s make it authentic, purposeful, and grounded in our personal journeys. That doesn’t mean every detail has to be shared, but the key moments that shaped us and drove us toward a purpose greater than us, are worth telling, to inspire others and help them grasp the true essence of our actions.

This is the story I want to share with you in 2025: the professional journey and personal path, the lessons learned, and how anger and love shaped and led to the creation of Rezalliance, the association I founded in 2020 and have been developing ever since.

This year, I will dive deeper into the events that formed the foundation of Rezalliance and the lessons learned, through a series of articles identified by the hashtag hashtag#ForgePurposeThroughPain.

I hope you enjoy the read.✨

Everywhere we look, reasons for anger and pain are overwhelming—even here in Switzerland, where I have been living for the past fifteen years.

The global geopolitical crises, the violence we witness on the ground, on social media, and in our workplaces are deeply connected. I consider myself an “active pessimist”: while I regularly loose faith in the ability (and willingness) of human beings to act collectively for the greater good, I refuse to give up on humankind.

On one hand, I can’t help but feel anger when I see behaviors that lead to destruction. On the other, I feel compelled to channel my energy and skills toward building a fairer and more peaceful world.

While some destroy, others rebuild. I’ve chosen the latter.

Anger and Love: two powerful emotions at the heart of Change

Let’s talk about anger and love—two strong emotions that are often deemed inappropriate in professional contexts. We’re told it’s better to suppress them to maintain a rational, detached image. Yet they are intertwined and play a crucial role in our personal and professional commitments.

If anger is the engine, love is the fuel.When we’ve lived through it, we know that anger arises in the face of injustices that violate our integrity. It erupts to signal that a line has been crossed, to reclaim our dignity. It’s raw energy, sometimes chaotic, that can also push us to stand up, to act, and to fight for what is right.

For me, anger was a response to events that marked me in ways I could never have imagined. This anger led to the creation of Rezalliance an NGO dedicated to fighting harassment and promoting inclusive practices in the workplace. Our actions aim to put words to wounds and give a voice to those facing workplace violence—at least 1 in 5 employees worldwide, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO).

But anger alone isn’t enough. If left unchecked, it can consume us from the inside and lead to self-destruction.

While anger has been a powerful engine, love became my fuel. It started with self-love—the ability to rebuild our self-esteem when it has been shattered by painful experiences. This capacity to believe in our worth during tough times is an expression of resilience: the ability to rebuild ourselves and keep moving forward after trauma.

I also discovered a deep love for humanity—a love that drove me to create solutions that benefit others. This love fuels Rezalliance and guides our actions to shift mindsets, transform workplaces, and build a more inclusive, respectful world. It drives us to find solutions that genuinely impact individuals, helping them rise, feel respected, and find their place.

By the way, if justice, integrity, and solidarity are also close to your heart, let’s make 2025 the year we put our skills at the service of our values! That’s how we can create long-lasting and positive change for the benefit of all

“The past does not merely tell us what happened yesterday, it also illuminates what happens today.” – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

---

I’ve learned a lot through personal trauma. However, I am not going to thank those who caused the harm that led to the initial anger at the genesis of Rezalliance.

I could choose not to talk about the origin of this anger. I could avoid mentioning the events that pushed me to embark on this journey. But if I do that, the meaning of Rezalliance’s actions would lack clarity. Therefore, for the sake of transparency, I want to share the story that led to my associative engagement—a story that deeply resonates with the state of the world today.

Inclusion has been a buzzword for the past years, with many talking about it without truly understanding what lies behind it, what is at stake, and why it is essential to achieving peace in workplaces, societies, and globally.

It’s also crucial to understand that our individual setbacks are not unique but are often the result of a dysfunctional system on both societal and global scales.

From Trauma to collective Transformation

It’s a deep love for humanity that has pushed me to expand my focus, transcend my personal experience, and act for the greater good. My journey with Rezalliance is not about reliving a personal story but about opening perspectives and fostering awareness.

Because when someone did experience certain forms of violence, they tend to deny their existence. That’s why I share my personal experiences during conferences or workshops on prevention—to raise awareness for those who have not been targets of psychological harassment, sexual harassment, or various forms of discrimination.

My voice is not just a cry of anger against past injustices but a call to individual, collective, and political action—an encouragement to build workplaces and societies where respect for humanity is central to our behaviors and professional practices.

Forging Purpose Through Pain

The upcoming articles of the series “ForgePurposeThroughPain” will dive deeper into the events that shaped Rezalliance and how I’ve learned to turn my pain into purpose. To those who have been following my journey from the very beginning, I am deeply grateful for your support and encouragement. To those who have recently joined, welcome—I’m so glad to have you here.

Since I aim to empower individuals to move from bystander to upstanders and their own help employers truly walk the talk, I feel compelled to share more of my personal story with my audience, clients, and partners. By shedding light on the experiences that led to the creation of Rezalliance, I hope to inspire awareness and concrete action against all forms of workplace harassment and promote a genuine inclusive culture.

---

Thank you once again for being part of Rezalliance’s journey—whether from day one or just recently. Together, let’s continue to explore, understand, and transform mindsets, behaviors, and systems for a safer, more equitable, and inclusive world of work.

Life is challenging.

But even in the face of chaos, we can still transform our pain into a purpose that gives meaning to our lives. This is what I mean by #ForgePurposeThroughPain. That’s the story I want to share with you in 2025, and the topic I would like us to explore together in the upcoming articles of the series.

🎤 Now, the floor is yours: How does the concept of ’emotional fuel’ resonate with you? Have you ever reflected on what drives you to push through challenges and overcome obstacles in your professional and personal journey? Do you believe that anger and love can coexist to form a positive force for both individual and collective growth?

Yours sincerely,

Joëlle Payom
Founder, Rezalliance

💡To go further:
Discover Rezalliance’s major achievements here