We all feel the undercurrent of worry in the world right now. While many of us still struggled to get our balance back in the post-COVID wake, now we're also watching wars, wild weather, and groundswells of change happen in society, economics and politics.
It can feel scary, especially if you read the news too much.
For a long time it’s been said in the news that “if it bleeds, it leads.”
Let’s remember why:
scary news makes our fear-based ‘reptilian’ brains kick in, which -
keeps us reading (ever-vigilant for survival), which -
keeps the media in business, which -
keeps them printing scary headlines.
It creates a ripple effect of negativity that just...keeps...coming. No wonder we can feel overwhelmed and powerless.
So how do we break this cycle without burying our heads in the sand?
More importantly, how do we turn this time of upheaval into a time of positive transformation?
Too often, we make the mistake of thinking only famous people or powerful leaders can change the world. I'm just one person, we think; I can’t make any kind of real impact.
But that’s simply not true.
Every single thing we do in our lives – positive or negative – has a ripple effect. Every word, every act, and every thought sends a ripple of energy out into the world.
The corner-store clerk where I once lived always greeted customers with a smile and friendly chit-chat. You might think selling bread and potato chips isn’t changing the world, but I always felt lighter when I left there.
My local pharmacist greeted everyone with a big smile, called you by your first name, and never let you leave without taking a candy. You’d go in feeling sick to buy medicine, and his kindness always made you feel better.
These people didn’t change the world in big, flashy ways, but they made you feel good, made you feel welcome, made you feel...loved.
And that’s how the world changes – one small ripple of love and kindness at a time.
What kind of ripple are you sending out?
It matters.
Your response in these times matters.
It’s time for you to ‘be the change’.
One part of the Tao Te Ching says this:
"Nothing in the world is as soft and yielding as water.
Yet for dissolving the hard and inflexible, nothing can surpass it.
The soft overcomes the hard; the gentle overcomes the rigid.
Everyone knows this is true, but few can put it into practice."
Kindness and gentleness are powerful. They can slowly wear down even the hardest problems, just like water can smooth a rough rock over time.
And what you focus on grows. So to feel better, express gratitude every day for everything good in your life: the stars in the night sky, the sunrise, fresh air to breathe, the people you love and care about...alongside everything that’s troubling, there is still, also, always so much to be grateful for.
Not only will you feel less anxiety and worry when you focus on the good, but you’ll also send positive energy out into the world too.
And the world needs you right now.
Smile at someone. Hold the door open for a stranger. Look with kindness into their eyes. Give a hug. Say thank you. These little actions make a big difference. Right away you’ll both feel better, and remember that you’ll also never see all the places your kindness goes, because it’s like a ripple in the water – it spreads far and wide.
Every day, make it your deliberate intention to express love and kindness in the world; to be “...as soft and yielding as water..the soft <that> overcomes the hard; the gentle <that> overcomes the rigid”.
It's easy, it doesn’t cost a thing, and without saying a word you’ll be encouraging more people to do the same.
Quietly, slowly, surely, with every thought, every word, every action - our little ripples will spread far and wide. Together, they’ll merge with one another.
Effortlessly, ever-so-gently, we’ll set this world awash with love and kindness.
And even though our ripple effect may not ever hit the headlines, it’s definitely the type of groundswell you want to be part of. Keep at it, every day, even when – especially when – the news tells you otherwise.
Because as the famous anthropologist Margaret Mead said:
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world: indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." 💛
With love and kindness,
xo
PS: for more help with navigating turbulent waters, check out this interview where I share seven strategies for how to thrive in changing times.
Comments