I was recently remembering with a friend how discouraged we were (and sometimes still are) when reading about human pollution, natural and sanitary catastrophes, social inequalities, or similar problems. Thinking of our world’s future can be quite depressing, so that sometimes we may lose hope and wonder about the meaning of our actions.
Sounds familiar? The good news is, you can be a changemaker, feel empowered and still be authentically optimistic. One success factor lies in our mindset and our perception of reality.
1. Acknowledge the reality
What resists, persists. Yes, this is hard to acknowledge how dysfunctional humans are. But acknowledging this fact does not mean validating this human and societal condition. When you only keep saying “it should not be this way” without taking constructive action, it’s a bit as if you were facing a house on fire and waiting for it to disappear without doing anything to change the situation. Chances are that if you quickly acknowledge the danger and call the fireman, the situation will be resolved rapidly.
Overcome your mirage. In “Loving what is”, Byron Katie applies “The Work” in allowing a person to accept their reality while answering those questions:
- Is it true?
- Can you absolutely know that it is true?
- How do you react when you believe this thought?
- Who would you be without this thought?
Finally, she asks the person to turn the thought around. Let’s take an example: The original thought of “I have no positive impact on the society” would become “my thoughts have no positive impact since they demotivate me to shift my way of living and working to bring a positive impact” or “ I have a positive impact if …”. In realizing this, you move from being a victim to being responsible for your interpretation of events and your reaction to them.
This approach may be criticized for its simplicity, especially in front of some complex issues. Yet, it may also help someone become conscious of their limiting thoughts and find “a way to change the projector - the mind - rather than the [thing] projected.”
2. Accept THE duality: YOUR limits and potential
Being part of the problem and the solution at the same time is acceptable. As the Eastern culture teaches us through the ying and the yang theory, forces that may seem opposite are actually deeply interconnected.
Just by buying food, we generate certain sources of pollution. Yet, we can also mitigate our impact on the planet by aiming for zero waste.
Act consciously in your own way. Yes, we are more or less all responsible for climate change. Yes, it is linked to a larger system of production and consumption. No, this is not a reason to wait for others to act first. If one simple individual cannot solve all the complex challenges of the world in one go, acting as a “Colibris” (Pierre Rabhi) may help you to realign with your values, make a positive impact and - who knows - create a collective shift towards a caring and responsible society.
3. Refine your strategy to maximize your impact
First, make sure you are clear on what’s really important for you and what’s relevant to your professional and personal activities. The issues of the world are endless. It is easy to feel overwhelmed just thinking about them.
To be useful, focus on your ambition and be pragmatic. You may want to distinguish between what you empathize WITH, and what you want to act upon. Then, decide how to proceed in real life while being aligned with your values and hopes for the world.
get inspired: a Case Study
Here is a story inspired by a real-life story. Our character's name is Sandra. She is a smart and committed woman who believes in the public sector’s leadership and the power of collective action. The problem is, she faces drastic budget restrictions and a seeming lack of motivation from her colleagues. She has thoughts like: “I am isolated, I am torn between my values and my day to day reality. It is hopeless. I can’t do anything. I can’t even succeed in making a simple positive change in my own institution."
To the question “is that true?” the answer is a direct and immediate “yes!”
To the question, “Can you absolutely know that it is true? What’s the evidence of it?” A long silence occurs. Then, “Well, I don’t know. At least, I am trying. I have launched different projects at work. I keep educating myself and I have reduced my waste at home.”
When asked about the opportunities for hope, she recalls the weak signals given by one or two colleagues. She has found potential allies!
When it comes to possibilities for action, the trio of women mingle, brainstorm alternative ideas, and come up with the idea of creating an urban farm. It’s a way to partner with local actors, grow eco-friendly products, and engage the staff.
They keep lobbying towards polite yet silent top management leaders. Still, the trio keeps planting some seeds. Eventually, some employees start sharing their wish for more commitment from upper management for their concerns, but they are afraid of potential consequences to their employment. From three persons, they become thirty. They organize collective debates outside working hours and collectively keep reinforcing their aims whenever possible.
One day, they receive a letter from the head of the institution announcing an innovation contest for “sustainable initiatives." They discovered the daughter of the director was their best ally. She had overheard him complaining to his wife about his inability to address his employees' requests. For three weeks his daughter kept asking him what he was doing to contribute to her future. One night, he remembered why he had joined the public sector, and it was to give power to the citizens. A day after, he wrote a letter about the contest!
activate your power
The best tools are often introspective questions that will trigger the most relevant and practical answers for you. Here are some that you may try to answer. Seat in a calm space, focus on yourself, take a deep breath (or two or three), and give it a try, even for one second per question. Listen to the immediate thoughts that come to you. You will be amazed by the strength of your mind.
What “fire(s)” do I want to put out?
If you struggle to answer such a direct question, you may want to break it down into manageable segments: What are the subjects that interest or affect you the most? Why so? What’s the real issue at stake? How does this relate to your daily life? The more clarity you have, the easier it will be.
What am I aiming for in focusing on such an issue?
Here you want to dream big. Answer questions like: What do I wish for instead? What would be the ideal scenario? What benefits would that generate and for whom?
How can I move forward?
This is the time for realistic planning. If you have no immediate answers, perhaps practical actions will be revealed if you ask yourself the following questions: "What is the first step I can take? Whom can I rely on? What resources will I activate? When do I commit to doing so?"
Over to you: Click on the button below to share your thoughts and comments with me!
““Forgive yourself for your faults and your mistakes and move on.””