With all the craziness going on in the world, a lot of people are expressing concerns, feeling a bit edgy or uncertain.
At a recent gathering at my home of like-minded women we had a fireside chat about the state of the world over good wine, good appetizers and good chocolate. We pondered the possibilities of what was contributing to a collective consciousness of fear and what could we do to contribute to a better world?
Fear Is Polluting Our Minds and Spirits
We agreed that in addition to listening to the accounts of the recent tragedies of San Bernadino and Paris, we are being bombarded with venomous and hateful language about everything and everybody. The airwaves are polluting our minds and spirits. I think the level of open hostility is driving people crazy. It defies how most of us were raised and how we want our children to live and treat each other. It defies how we want to treat or be treated by our co-workers or neighbors.
Call me naïve, but I really don’t think people want to live and work in communities that accept combative behavior, disrespectful name calling, divisiveness and insulting insinuations. These behaviors instill fear and intimidation. Workplaces call it “hostile work environment” and people are fired for it. Playgrounds call it “bullying” and parents won’t stand for it. Yet, for some reason, hostility is escalating and some people are cheering it on.
So what can we do to be more aligned with the environment that we want?
There are so many individuals and groups doing amazingly generous and creative things to make a difference. Whether it’s the Secret Santa who gives $100 bills to people or the people who pay off Christmas lay-away items, we need to be thinking beyond the holiday season of generosity…
I shared with my friends examples of the 2015 CNN Heroes and how these humble and inspiring individuals are building communities that are making a difference in our world.
And while these are inspiring stories, my friends and I were left feeling like it was a bit daunting and that none of us would ever have the courage, resources or stamina to follow their lead.
Love Trumps Fear
So what could we do?
One woman said “love trumps fear.” What would happen if each one of us consciously chose to align ourselves with love and acted from that mindset, rather than fear? One person at a time. Being a stand for generosity rather than greed or gossip; peace rather than provocation; sincerity rather than cynicism and sarcasm, compassion and collaboration rather than criticism.
This was something we thought we could do… maybe not perfectly, or remember all the time. But we agreed that one person at a time, we would strive to contribute through love or kindness. It’s funny how when we do or say things that are inconsistent with who we really want to be … we get a queasy, or odd feeling like something’s “off.” That’s your internal guidance system telling you to re-direct! Pay attention. Do a do-over. You’ll feel better.
Who’s willing to give it a try? You don’t have to publicly announce it – but just practice it for a couple days and see what happens. If your inclination is to be cynical or sarcastic, ask yourself what would I say or do if I was being collaborative or compassionate?
Remember: Love trumps fear.
Be the change.
Watch for the next blog on January 5, 2016 to see how clients have applied this concept at work and the miracles that have happened.
Marty Stanley, CSP, is a national speaker and author of From Type A to Type T: How to Be a Transformational Leader in a Bottom-Line World.
For more information on how you can be the change at work or at home, contact Marty at 816-695-5453 or martystanley@alteringoutcomes.com
