Rebalancing perspective
After a bit of a break I am back to the blog. My initial burst of activity reflected 1) pent up need to write and 2) overactive enthusiasm. Neither is sustainable, hence the break. What follows is more a random reflection, yet there are some points to make that I believe will get you to think, act and perhaps change.
So what happened, what did I notice while on my writing break?
Well for one thing the world fell apart. At least to many it seems to have crumbled, collapsed pushed down all barriers and pried cracks wide open. I sat and watched from the sidelines. I am affected, many people I know are affected, many more I do not know are affected. Ultimately we are ALL affected whether indirectly or directly.
When our neighbour or friend has a sudden change in their world nothing is the way it seemed. The panic that has gripped the financial markets is now opening up many people. Many of us who have not experienced life as hard, or difficult are being tested. Did they ask for this? I am not sure. Some will cast stones and say yes. Some already have pointed the finger of blame. Some have tried to be one better by saying well I told you so.
But where does this get us? Nowhere. If as I say at the start we are ALL affected, then how can we use our energy to point fingers and push people down further. Who are we to judge the person who followed investment decisions that were preached as gospel from gurus of wealth? Who are we to judge the person who deviated from their 'safe' retirement plan to step into a complex investment or leverage a bit more so they could have the life they dreamed.
I imagine and bet that if we were all given the chance to make our life better in an easy way we would jump at it if we could. What is wrong with that?
I am not a financial expert. Yet when I speak to people who are truly experts and they begin to say the world is changing then I start to wonder. Is it time for change beyond the surface of our material way of life? Are we heading in a new direction in our lives? way of working? national and international priorities?
For me it is the affect on people who are not aware that really troubles me. These are the people who operated for many years in an impermeable glass bubble almost ignoring the ship tipping over. Then when the ship tipped over they suddenly wonder why they are in the water swimming for their life. Rather than push these people down we need to help them. How do we help? Well by being human beings and offering our compassion, our empathy and our ear. We can be the other end of a conversation.
I say this because it is in times of great crisis that people sometimes feel like it is all too much and take drastic action. Whether it is self harm, giving up or lacking in attention to daily life matters. When this happens then everyone around us has to pick up the pieces. A dose of reality for someone not in touch will surely create havoc in their life.
So maybe some of the following might be worth considering...
- Start with yourself and be the example.
- Check in and assess how you perceive and experience the current change in the economic landscape.
- Note how the changes affect you on all levels - emotional, physical, mental, spiritual.
- Consider the consequences of your actions and whether on a small scale you need to adjust your way of living.
- Identify actions you can take at a personal level to positively change your situation.
- Discuss how you feel with people that are close to you.
- Call people you know and ask how they are going and listen, listen, listen.
- Offer to help people that may need a bit of moral support.
- Volunteer if you can to provide services to people who may not be able to pay for them for the moment.
- Remember that your local businesses are in the same situation. Curtailing spending is one thing but completely cutting off your support of their livelihood means they will face challenges.
On another more conscious level there is no better time than now to become fully present. When we face crisis such as the one unfolding in our economic world, we can become paralysed by fear. This leads to a range of reactions or non actions.
The one thing you can always do in any moment is be in this moment. Stop for this moment and pay attention to what is around you that you can appreciate, that you can truly be grateful for in your life. I am sure there are many that far exceed the experiences we are having. Such an exercise can bring you back to you. Back to who you are. Back to what really matters to you. Your values may need a recheck. Your beliefs an overhaul. Your attitudes a big shift. Ultimately though underneath all of what is happening is that you are still you. And what you have built up in your life to date is more than the crisis unfolding. You are bigger than the uncertainty, the unknowing. There is more to you than this one experience, no matter how big it is. It does not define you. You define you.
So stop, breathe, look around at the beauty in the world. Think about what you DO HAVE in your life, in your work, in your experience. Count that and tally that up. I bet the balance sheet looks a lot better than the doom and gloom out there at the moment. In fact why not write it down, put it on the wall and check in every day on your own personal accounts beyond the monetary measure.
Having reflected a bit, I will be back. This was just a chance to put a few thoughts out there for you to consider. More than anything I believe that crisis are great opportunities for transformation for the better when we have the support of others. So do your part and be there for others and yourself.
Let's go there...
Jenn