There’s a lot of finger pointing going on in our society right now, perhaps more than ever before.  Let’s take a moment and review what’s in our power and what is not.  I’m fully open to suggestions on this one, by the way.  We may not be able to control unfolding events, however, we can control the way we respond to them.  When we don’t get what we want, there are options.  We can scream, stop our feet, get sick, and get really angry, if that’s what’s needed to heal and begin to take positive action forward.  We can also take inventory and observe what’s happening as to take the next best steps forward.  One will make you feel really shitty, the other may or may not make you feel better, it depends which you choose.

 

Something has to happen before we take right action.  We must be awake. This has to happen in order to have a productive dialogue with someone whose view you disagree with.  I’m concerned that we’ve turned opposing views into “I hate you,” or “you’re a bad person.” As a society how are we supposed to evolve and improve if we can not even talk with one another?  How can we understand what’s important to each person if we’re focused on disgust?  I want to remind you that even though you have opposing views with someone, or an organization, you may also have things in common with them you are unaware of.  I want to invite you to seek common ground you may both care about.  Some of you will shout out at that statement, “no way!”  If so, understand that you are contributing to the very problem you abhor.

 

Aspire to flip judgment on its head.  I invite you to step past your angry ego, who has diligently protected you up to this point, and ask “what may be trying to happen here?”  I don’t know myself, but I have to believe something good will come out of this, all of it, because that is my nature.  I’m the eternal optimist.  I have to believe things are always working out in my favor or how could I continue to thrive?  If I’m in fear or constantly in battle, I will not accomplish things in my life, I can not become more of what I strive to be.  Fear is the opposite of love.  Fear begets fear.  We can not live in anger or fear because those emotions cancel out love and joy, which essentially means we end up with nothing.

 

It’s not about sides winning; this old paradigm of competition in lieu of collaboration has got to go!  It’s annihilating us.  Until we begin the thinking, “how can we all win?”  “How can we all get our needs met?”  “What’s in the best interest of us all?”  We will never get there.

 

Can we agree that we all need love, we all want to feel safe, and we all want to be free to exercise our independence?  Can we all agree we’d like to pursue health, happiness, and the right to live our own way?  If you’ve answered yes to these questions, it means you have something in common with what you perceive to be the wrong side.  Do I want the right to make decisions about my own body?  You bet!  Do I want the right to make medical decisions that are safe for my family?  Absolutely.  Do I want truth and justice to prevail?  Unequivocally.  We, the people, are going to protect these rights by speaking with our vote.  Our vote has power.  People before have fought and died for this right.  Do not take it for granted.  I invite you to do diligent research, share your discoveries, and vote for candidates with a strong track record of integrity.  People are beginning to share information on destructive candidates who are out of integrity with what they claim they will do.  Share that information too.  You can not merely stand on the side lines with your fists in the air and complain about what is happening.  Become part of the solution.

 

Do what it takes, with everything you can to make a positive impact.  Then you can say you gave your best.  I invite you to take action toward what is important to you and those you love, in a constructive manner.  Learn to have difficult conversations with those you disagree with.  Ask what’s important to them and why.  This single act can shift the paradigm toward healing: from having perceived enemies to acquaintances with differing opinions, or dare I even say, new friends.  Otherwise your anger will destroy you, bit by bit, episode by episode, and from what I understand, that is the opposite of the life you say you want to live.