When Politics Fail You
"Be the change you wish to see in the world". "You are what you repeatedly do". "Do unto others as you would do unto you."
We've all heard the quotes, heck, we've even sticky note-d them to our walls and offices and computer screens. We like them, favorite them, and never look at them again. Much less, did we ever apply these marvelous notions of sentiment that COULD change our lives if we'd only give them some study. Isn't that true with everything in life? It's all right there for us, but we are too busy being occupied with the time consuming thing right in front of us that we may not pay attention to the thing that, after understanding, could make our lives easier and dare I say, more joyful! Meanwhile, we spend thousands of dollars and loads of energy searching and searching for our PURPOSE in life, as if it has to be some major big event that creates fame and fortune and gets us known in the world.
Take, "Be the change" for example, a quote from Gandhi. It sounds great and we jump on board the bandwagon with the hoopla and 5k fundraiser and wear the t-shirt, and yet most of us have never looked at what that really means, and certainly far less apply it. But we are big on jumping in with the fad, with the cool crowd aren't we?
Meanwhile the words are wasted, cast like pearls before swine.
Well, let's take some much needed time and learn from the great many words that have TOLD us pretty directly how we can have a better life. Instead, we think this better life just eventually gets dropped into our laps? Or we believe in the Law of Attraction and Abundance and Manifestation and yet we really don't understand how to use it. It's applying these words of wisdom, NOT just sticking them up where you can be noticed how deep you are.
"Be the change you wish to see in the world." Gandhi said. Because he knew it's not popular and famous people that form foundations, it's not industries donating to charities, it's not sponsorships by sports figures.....the world is US, each of us as individuals. And while those above named make great progress, that doesn't represent the vast percentage of the rest of us. It is not a good indication of the world change when only a small percentage of people can do things on such a large scale as those named above. Far more is achieved when 7 billion individuals act the greatness of THEMSELVES and affect even ONE other person's life for the better.
Be the change.
1. Ask yourself what it is you want to see changed. What is it that gets your dander up?
Let's say it's that you can't stand how big buildings are moved out of and then sit to rot. So so far all you've done is stated your opinion and complained about it to anyone who will listen. You don't do anything about that in specific because you don't have a bunch of money to buy the building and turn it into something useful, and then, it's just one building, what about all the rest? How will you ever really make change? and so you don't do anything because it's "impossible".
2. Be the change directly. Ask yourself if there's anything you can do yourself. The first step is obvious: don't do it yourself. Don't abandon a building. (okay pretty easy there since you don't currently have a building) But it goes further...
3. Ask yourself the reason behind your dander.
Anger, or any emotion always comes from experience. What is it that really makes you worked up about the building sitting empty? Perhaps it is waste? Now here is where "Be the change" can really come in, because you act on the REASON why this situation seems to be a problem for you.
4. Act on the reason to BE THE CHANGE
For example, Directly you're not going to be wasteful of a building yourself, but look at all the aspects of your life. Are you a good steward of your resources? Are you too consumeristic? Are you wasteful with your resources, your time, your family's love, your energy? Your wastefulness perception doesn't come just from buildings sitting empty but concepts within you that give you ideas and thus emotions. You can affect change by examining this wastefulness in ALL parts of your life. What else do you take for granted that perhaps you didn't know you were? How are you wasteful in your own home?
No need to be a fanatic, but perhaps you are noticing the wasteful situation with the buildings because it's there to teach you about your own stewardship in some area of your life.
Let's look at another example.
1. What is it you want to see changed?
Let's say it's passion for the treatment of animals. You can't stand to see animals abused.
2. Be the change directly.
Obviously, you're not going to abuse animals yourself. Plus, you can do something to help. You can be a foster pet parent, you can fundraise, you can volunteer at the animal shelter, the least can go on and on depending on your heart.
3. What is the emotion behind it? Why do you care?
Because no animal should be treated so. Rage, at the thought of the act and the possibility someone could do such a thing. Compassion for the underdog. Which is all good to recognize and you can feel "righteous" because no one would disagree with you.....and yet, you yelled at the store clerk for not getting your change right, or you spouted to your friends about how idiotic she was, or you were impatient with your kids when they were causing inconvenience by being "unreasonable" and sure, you didn't kick them or leave them out in the blizzard but you damaged their emotional security and esteem about themselves (often times unbeknownst to you because most of us only look at how it affects US). Perhaps you abuse your body by putting substances in it, or eating junk food and not caring for it. Perhaps you don't take care of your home or possessions. Or you stole paper from your employer, or took extra long work breaks.
Energy of similar energy is consistent across the board. In this case, abuse of the animal is no different energy from abuse in any other way. Some people will say some abuses are worse than others, but truthfully, energy of abuse is energy of abuse and comes with the same degradation and loss as one to the next. You can't say one is worse than the other especially if you were not the victim on the other end, because you don't know how it affected them.
4. Act on the REASON to BE THE CHANGE
So now that you recognize that, of course you aren't going to abuse animals but maybe you will take a look at the ways you are abusing your body, yourself, your family or relationships, or the resources in your life. Remember, the situation that you are aware of is there so that you can learn from it. Learning is up to you!
Remember, overall, it's not needing to be a BIG PERSON with a lot of clout to accomplish things, it each of us, doing all of these things daily and in every decision. Sure, it takes more time, is more work, and maybe not as convenient, but how else do we expect to see things change?
You may also want to look over for my books on Amazon for some lessons in concept therapy which challenge your concepts and improve your life.