Can technology, sustainable lifestyle, and social innovation save the world? Is it all about doing and creating new solutions? What is the missing “ingredient” in most “saving-the-world” initiatives?
It’s easy to give up and lose ourselves in the negativity of the world.
It’s easy to believe that peace is unachievable, and there will always be war seen from the evidence of our history.
It’s also easy to think that we’re heading towards human extinction due to climate change and let the fear paralyze us.
What if we stop?
Stop projecting the past mistakes into the future and believing that it’s too late to act righteously?
Stop arguing and persuading other people to live more sustainably by using scientific facts and thereby pushing them further away?
Stop having thoughts like “We will NEVER have peace..” or “There will ALWAYS be war..” as “never” and “always” exclude possibilities for alternative and better outcomes?
But perhaps most importantly, stop believing that we can “save” the world by doing more social and environmental projects if we don’t manage to act from a deeper knowing, a wisdom that can only arise from inner peace.
And here is my confession:
I’ve done all the above!
I’ve drowned in despair, hopelessness, and powerlessness when it comes to the future of humanity.
I’ve also feared human extinction, and the loss of biodiversities feels like excruciating pain in my heart.
I’ve started social entrepreneurial projects, believed that I could do more to change the world.
I’ve tried to convince people to live more sustainably and thereby pushing them further away because they felt that I didn’t understand their struggles and what has made them become who they are.
And I learned:
It didn’t work!
I thought I was doing from a higher place of wisdom where my heart was guiding me. Later I understood that I was still operating from an egoic mind. Since then, my spiritual development has helped me to understand that no action can create a lasting impact when it’s derived from the ego.
So, you may ask what now?
Have I become wiser? Do I truly know what it takes to create a better future? For myself and the world?
The most truthful answer to these questions is actually:
I. Don’t. Know.
But what I do know is this:
Life is unpredictable. We can never fully foresee the consequences of our choices nor predict all possibilities for the future. Therefore I must let go of all the predictions, forecasts, and beliefs about how the future would be.
Instead, what I could do is to become more conscious.
What does it mean?
It means that I stop giving energy to negative thoughts about the past and let it influence my choices and way of Being in the present moment.
That I now only work whenever I feel at peace in my heart. As I know whatever energy I bring into my action, it will affect the outcomes of the action. Only when I manage to work from an inner space of peace, the energy that I’m working from allows joy and miracles to happen! Things will then manifest for the benefits of the Whole.
Yes, you read it right, Joy and Miracles. Where everything happens effortlessly. There is a sense of alignment; that whatever I do is what I need to do at this moment. It’s meant to be.
When I don’t feel at peace, I take a step back, slow down, breathe consciously, and listen. Listen to the wisdom of my body and the inner feeling of the heart.
And wait.
Keep quiet and wait.
Wait for clarity to arise naturally. Then I’ll know what action I must take.
Perhaps you think that my way of waiting for clarity is passive, and it’s easy for me to say, “I only work whenever I feel at peace in my heart.” What about deadlines, expectations, and demands from family and work?
Most people still think that they don’t have time to find inner peace. They believe that they first can do it when they have achieved X, Y, and Z. Busyness and inner peace are just not compatible, so it seems.
What if I tell you that it’s not true?
Inner peace is not something that you need to find. It’s something that you already ARE but forgotten because you’ve lost yourself in worldly experiences.
As such, when I’m talking about finding peace first before I could work, it’s actually about coming back to my True Self and operating from it.
How do I get back to my True Self? Most of the time, it’s just a few minutes of deep and conscious breathing. Other times, it could involve more inner work where I have to resolve the unease and painful emotions that I feel in the moment.
But here is the secret:
When I work from the energy of peace, my efficiency increases.
I might schedule an hour for a particular task, but often it takes less time than what I originally planned. When I face obstacles, the energy of peace still allows me to deal with the situation with calmness and objectivity. I would intuitively know how to respond to the challenge and allow things to unfold naturally.
So dear YOU, be conscious and realize the depth of your Being first. Then you will experience how you’re called to act in such a way that the impact of your actions will not only bring contentment for yourself but also contribute to the Balance of the World.
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