What kind of world?
A post intended to incite does, and in the process reminds us to come back and focus on what we really want.
Enabling The How #146. Reading time: 6 minutes
What do we do, now that there is no more Rugby World Cup? For several days after that heart-stopping final Matthew walked around in a daze. He watched every reel, read every post, analysed the game with whoever was willing to listen and engage. Until, satiated he was able to step back, look up and reconnect with the real world.
What is the “real” world, though? Is the “real” world a place of conflict, fear and divisiveness? Where criminal minds and criminal moves take from us what is not theirs to take? The world seems stuffed to capacity by individuals, groups and organisations who think it is their right to take by force or cleverness the lives or livelihoods of others.
We prefer not to energise that world. It is there, but not for making more and bigger by looking at it, talking about it, or railing against it. We prefer to energise a world where we support and celebrate our abilities, achievements and potential, while accepting the flaws and foibles, the failings and fallings of the human condition.
Hooked by a post
Earlier this week Matthew was hooked by a post on social media. The person had taken something quite benign and made it into something sinister. The person just planted a seed that could cast an unfortunate shadow on a person currently in the spotlight. The comment was incorrect but in this swipe fast, catch the gist, judge on face value and feed the negative frenzy, it is likely that many will fuel the flames of an unwarranted false narrative.
“Why do that?” Matthew asked, “Why does somebody think that it is okay to post that stuff? What good will it do?” He was incensed.
“Click bait? Getting a rise? Poking the bear to get that response?” suggested Chantal, “It’s so negative, and so unnecessary. Look what it’s done to you.”
“Yes, I just want to dive in there and snarl and spit at that idiot and give him a piece of my mind,”
Indeed, the urgent desire is to give that unknown, faceless, possibly sad, maybe sadistic person, a piece of your mind. In the process, however, it offers no peace of mind. Just a whirring, churning anger that goes nowhere and serves only to make one feel worse. The energy that is expended towards a ghost is all consuming for a while and a terrible waste of precious time.
Face a more constructive muse
We are so inundated by data, posts, commentary, feeds, and messages that it is difficult to be constantly awake to the insidious drip feed of negative communication that filters into our consciousness. This can imperceptibly but persistently change our view of the world to be a dark, desperate and despondent place. A place in dire need of, but possibly too late to, change. Hopelessness is only a few untimely messages away.
Perhaps it is because people feel hopeless and desperate that they lash out by posting unpleasant, pointed, unconstructive, even damaging messages. How often do we give what we get, offer what we know?
It is our duty, if we want a different world, to stay vigilant and sift out the ignorant or intentional crowing. It is our obligation, if we want to live more purposefully, powerfully and with best intent, to shut out the destructive drip feed. It is our responsibility to consciously pivot to face a more constructive muse in order to build a world that we wish to live in.
What world do we want?
What world do you want to live in now? What world do you want your children to grow up into? Do you believe that you can be a part of creating that world? We believe that you absolutely can. If there is going to be any change in the world, it starts with each and every one of us. It starts with me, and you, and you, and you over there, and yes, you too.
Nowhere has significant change occurred as a result of government policies. Governments don’t change society, neither does business and corporate - they do what serves them best. It’s us citizens who create the change. So we have a job to do. It is a big one and it certainly does not need to be bloody and loud.
How about a quiet revolution where we all take care of our own state, our own bodies, our own minds first? Clear and clean inside so that outside can start looking better. How about we purposefully focus on the generative and good while filtering out the dark?
According to the Geneva Academy, there are currently over 110 wars or conflicts raging globally. You reading about or debating on social media over who holds the moral high ground in these conflicts is not going to stop them.
I will meet you there
What if you energised light and love and enough. What if you took care of your patch of earth? What if you made conscious and careful choices about what you eat and drink, what you do to move your body, how you feel, what you think about and the relationships you have?
We don’t all have to have a great purpose to live purposefully. We can live with purpose by doing things on purpose, with intent and consideration of our impact. It is in the small, gradual, almost imperceivable, but consistent, changes that we choose to make that enables the big changes to happen.
What kind of world do you want to live in? What world do you want your children, your children’s children and theirs to live in? Now is the time to start to build it. And if you have already started, deep gratitude to you, please continue, hour by hour, day by day. In the eternal words of Rumi:
“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field. I’ll meet you there.”
Until next time.
Yours in feeling,
Matthew & Chantal
COUNTDOWN TO NUMBER 1
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