So much hard learning and wisdom here. Re the person who is dreaming of a world... I like these kinds of ideas as they are statements of values and aspirations. I also find them utterly hopeless because they ignore aspects of the world that we know have existed forever and which I think have to be faced up to and brought into any proposed plan of action; the existence of power-hungry, traumatised people who don't share these values/ideas; people who have historically experienced or currently experience severe deprivation or injustice who don't necessarily have the capacity or resources to take certain actions; and god knows many more realities like these. We're so conditioned to think that trying to understand ourselves is selfish but as you suggest (I think?), not doing so can just compound the problem of so many unconscious wounded people trying to act in the world without insight etc. I think it has to be local. Knowing what our unmet needs are and how they affect our social behaviour and drives, and acting literally locally, in our own communities. Knowing about vast amounts of world suffering paralyses so many of us because we know we can do nothing. But we can do plenty at the level of our own interactions, and in terms of offering our time to our own communities...
Oh so much to discuss here Tamsin. Such great insights. I am still sometimes in awe of how much world travel it took for me to see and unpack (and be the victim of those systems of power). I always wonder - Why are we not just taught them in school so we know what we are dealing with? But then of course, that would require our teachers to be well versed in the way the world works, or those in those systems of power to want to change them (and just because they succeed in the systems doesn’t mean that they fully aware of those systems either).
And yes you are right - I am alluding to the fact that I don’t think I could offer the right type of support to others if I don’t have enough awareness of my tendancies and how to look after myself in the process. I don’t think that should stop us trying to take action - but I think the more self awareness we bring, the more likely our actions might benefit others.
I agree on local action and self awareness - these are already powerful contributions we can make. Looking at everything that is beyond our control is overwhelming - we need to start where we are.
"How can I open my heart and mind to the world as it is?" - gosh, this is so hard. I work in animal rights and the sheer amount of misery I see every day in my work, the absolute worst of humanity and the horrors we inflict on those among the most indefensible, has made me put up some kind of armour of defiant joy when not working. As soon as I clock off, I dive into major FOMO mode, trying to have as much fun as possible to block out the truth of the world. It's like if I pour enough Proseccos on the beach, go on enough scenic hikes, wear enough pretty outfits I can forget the world as it is. I make my world smaller to close myself off to the horrific realities. And I think many people do the same. In my view, the road to empowerment lies in small collective actions. Coming together even in the smallest of ways. Addressing ONE single thing a day, or a week. Taking those blinders off for a minute and engaging in collective goals to feel that yes, we CAN make a change. A small spark that will light a bigger fire. Hopefully.
Powerful words Sascha. And I relate to creating that bubble. We are exposed to so much already with our global media, if we also work engaging in some of the worlds problems it becomes a lot to carry around. Tbh your FOMO mode sounds really healthy in many ways because we do also need to enjoy life. When I lived in Myanmar I used to go to Bali every holiday and not engage in anything cultural - just green juices, yoga and massages - I needed a space where I was just not exposed to any issues - and could just focus on looking after myself. I think we do need those moments where we enjoy life, otherwise we can’t have the energy to want to take action to care for others or change our systems.
When I woke up this morning, I promised myself I would only read articles that would bring me hope. Hope never dies. I continue to confront my illusions realistically and to assess the things I can change. It starts with acceptance. That can be really tough, but I won’t give up. I look forward to reading more of your reflections, which are refreshingly grounded in your life experience and your experience of the world.
Thank you for your kind comment Marilyn and what a great morning resolution - to focus on only words which bring you hope. We are exposed to so much of the sad events around the world - it can be too hard to process, but without feelings like hope and a sense of our agency we can never hope to make any changes for the better. As you say, our hope is powerful in itself and could even be an act of defiance against some of the big news cycles we are exposed to.
Thank you Lauren. Not sure where to keep the audios going for every post as they are quite time consuming - but enjoying learning the process and using my voice!
I totally know what you mean - I keep thinking I’ll do more but they really take some time. As you say though, good just to enjoy the learning process 😊
I love your goal of bringing joy and an open heart to the journey. It can all be overwhelming and getting lost in that does us (and the world) no good.
My exploration is focused on how my connection to nature can deepen my pathway to deeper resilience. And what role can play have in changing the world.
Sorry for my delay in getting back to you Scot - sometimes these comments come in at odd times and I loose track. Thank you for your comment and your reaction to this post. What a great exploration for 2025 - to learn from nature (and play!) as a path to resilience - I look forward to hearing more about your experiences - such amazing teachers and play is so often trivialised in our results focused systems.
So much hard learning and wisdom here. Re the person who is dreaming of a world... I like these kinds of ideas as they are statements of values and aspirations. I also find them utterly hopeless because they ignore aspects of the world that we know have existed forever and which I think have to be faced up to and brought into any proposed plan of action; the existence of power-hungry, traumatised people who don't share these values/ideas; people who have historically experienced or currently experience severe deprivation or injustice who don't necessarily have the capacity or resources to take certain actions; and god knows many more realities like these. We're so conditioned to think that trying to understand ourselves is selfish but as you suggest (I think?), not doing so can just compound the problem of so many unconscious wounded people trying to act in the world without insight etc. I think it has to be local. Knowing what our unmet needs are and how they affect our social behaviour and drives, and acting literally locally, in our own communities. Knowing about vast amounts of world suffering paralyses so many of us because we know we can do nothing. But we can do plenty at the level of our own interactions, and in terms of offering our time to our own communities...
Oh so much to discuss here Tamsin. Such great insights. I am still sometimes in awe of how much world travel it took for me to see and unpack (and be the victim of those systems of power). I always wonder - Why are we not just taught them in school so we know what we are dealing with? But then of course, that would require our teachers to be well versed in the way the world works, or those in those systems of power to want to change them (and just because they succeed in the systems doesn’t mean that they fully aware of those systems either).
And yes you are right - I am alluding to the fact that I don’t think I could offer the right type of support to others if I don’t have enough awareness of my tendancies and how to look after myself in the process. I don’t think that should stop us trying to take action - but I think the more self awareness we bring, the more likely our actions might benefit others.
I agree on local action and self awareness - these are already powerful contributions we can make. Looking at everything that is beyond our control is overwhelming - we need to start where we are.
Simple truths that have nearly killed us in the learning, perhaps...!
"How can I open my heart and mind to the world as it is?" - gosh, this is so hard. I work in animal rights and the sheer amount of misery I see every day in my work, the absolute worst of humanity and the horrors we inflict on those among the most indefensible, has made me put up some kind of armour of defiant joy when not working. As soon as I clock off, I dive into major FOMO mode, trying to have as much fun as possible to block out the truth of the world. It's like if I pour enough Proseccos on the beach, go on enough scenic hikes, wear enough pretty outfits I can forget the world as it is. I make my world smaller to close myself off to the horrific realities. And I think many people do the same. In my view, the road to empowerment lies in small collective actions. Coming together even in the smallest of ways. Addressing ONE single thing a day, or a week. Taking those blinders off for a minute and engaging in collective goals to feel that yes, we CAN make a change. A small spark that will light a bigger fire. Hopefully.
Powerful words Sascha. And I relate to creating that bubble. We are exposed to so much already with our global media, if we also work engaging in some of the worlds problems it becomes a lot to carry around. Tbh your FOMO mode sounds really healthy in many ways because we do also need to enjoy life. When I lived in Myanmar I used to go to Bali every holiday and not engage in anything cultural - just green juices, yoga and massages - I needed a space where I was just not exposed to any issues - and could just focus on looking after myself. I think we do need those moments where we enjoy life, otherwise we can’t have the energy to want to take action to care for others or change our systems.
When I woke up this morning, I promised myself I would only read articles that would bring me hope. Hope never dies. I continue to confront my illusions realistically and to assess the things I can change. It starts with acceptance. That can be really tough, but I won’t give up. I look forward to reading more of your reflections, which are refreshingly grounded in your life experience and your experience of the world.
Thank you for your kind comment Marilyn and what a great morning resolution - to focus on only words which bring you hope. We are exposed to so much of the sad events around the world - it can be too hard to process, but without feelings like hope and a sense of our agency we can never hope to make any changes for the better. As you say, our hope is powerful in itself and could even be an act of defiance against some of the big news cycles we are exposed to.
Lovely to hear your voice Catriona, and I really appreciated the message you're sharing here! x
Thank you Lauren. Not sure where to keep the audios going for every post as they are quite time consuming - but enjoying learning the process and using my voice!
I totally know what you mean - I keep thinking I’ll do more but they really take some time. As you say though, good just to enjoy the learning process 😊
Great questions from lived experience!
I love your goal of bringing joy and an open heart to the journey. It can all be overwhelming and getting lost in that does us (and the world) no good.
My exploration is focused on how my connection to nature can deepen my pathway to deeper resilience. And what role can play have in changing the world.
I look forward to joining your journey in 2025!
Sorry for my delay in getting back to you Scot - sometimes these comments come in at odd times and I loose track. Thank you for your comment and your reaction to this post. What a great exploration for 2025 - to learn from nature (and play!) as a path to resilience - I look forward to hearing more about your experiences - such amazing teachers and play is so often trivialised in our results focused systems.