You say you want a revolution?
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A friend (Patti Digh) asked her Facebook friends (public post) what kind of society we should build as a result of what we are learning from this pandemic.
This was my response:
For any revolution to be successful we must first start to allow ourselves to be less than perfect and not expect someone else to set the table.
Utopias do not fail because they are utopian. They fail because we expect the utopia to do the work we need to do ourselves. First, self-compassion. Then vulnerability. Accepting that we are designed to need others. Needing help is a feature, not a bug. Simultaneously, we must step into our personal power to make change. Instead of waiting for a larger organisation (government, charity, corporations) to change, we must take as many of the opportunities to make a difference as possible.
We must understand that our “small” actions aren’t insignificant (as we are taught to believe they are) and that it is in those small actions that our power lies. A smile, a hug, a shoulder, a hand. Whatever opportunity presents itself that we can act on without expecting anything in return. It may seem small but I can tell you from experience (11 years of running HugTrain) that it can make a HUGE difference. So do what you can and know that it’s enough.
There are billions of us and only a couple thousand billionaires. It’s time to stop living in a world that is built to quell their insecurities instead of help each other thrive. We can make a difference. Ideally, money would become irrelevant, nothing would cost anything and everyone was doing what they loved and would be supported in developing their skills to become the best they can be at that thing instead of struggling to support themselves at a job they can get paid for because it suits the needs of the billionaire class and then find the time and money to learn. Private property wouldn’t exist either. But first, accept ourselves fully, pay it forward as often as possible and allow ourselves to ask for and need help.
It’s clearer than ever that we are sharing a planet and that all the divisions (demographics and borders) created so that the “perfect” and most desirable humans are rich straight white able cis men and everyone else is oppressed by being on the other end of any of these…
