Change the World One Day at a Time

Image by Mystic Art Design from Pixabay 

As I lay in bed this morning enjoying a quiet five minutes of my mind freely wandering, I was also acutely aware that my bubble was about to burst when the kids awoke, and the duties of the day began. I knew that it would only be when I sat down to type later in the day that my mind would have free rein to wander again.

That is the biggest obstacle for most of us, I believe, the feeling of more than enough time. When I watched a video from Sustainable Human on Why Everyone Deserves a Basic Income, I think the point was well made that we are so busy labouring to live that we don’t have enough time for the things that matter to us, which are often the things that would help us live in harmony with each other and the planet.

I can see where it begins, my kids are kept so busy with schooling (which they are not all that interested in) and are often too tired to pursue things they would rather be exploring. Yet I often think, as I drop them off at that cookie-cutter machine each day, they didn’t come here to fit into this world, they came to change it. But for that matter, so did you and I.

Listening to a friend of mine talk about the less than desirable state of governments today, and how much we had lost in moving away from local communities, I agreed with much of what was being said. However, I did not want to dwell on it, nor fight against it; it just feels like too much resistance.

What came up for me instead, were questions about what could replace these outdated systems. How could we maintain global infrastructure in a more localised world? Was that even the right question?

What I know for sure is that watching more videos, reading more articles or listening to more speeches to raise my awareness about today’s problems feels heavy on my soul, I’m already aware; the issues are huge in so many facets of our lives. What I’m interested in is a vision of what it could look like and how we get there. 

When I sat down to meditate and clear my mind, I had this vision of me sitting at an architect’s desk with a huge jigsaw puzzle spread across the table and only two or three pieces in place. All around me on the walls were white boards and notice boards, with lots of notes and questions posted all over them, a little like the crime or medical investigation rooms I’ve seen on TV.

I knew this was me sitting down to start to piece together a vision for myself of what the world could look like. I started to wonder if anyone had ever written a book as good as Frederic Laloux’s Reinventing Organisations, but focused on reconstructing the way in which public services could be provided.

Then I realised much of what he had written, at its core advocating organisations that are set up with autonomous individuals who have collective responsibility for outcomes (rather than employees with delegated authorities and limited access to information), was and could be applied to public services.

I also realised the question needed to be broader, in the sense of how each person in society who had an interest in that arena (be it roads, communication, education, healthcare, economics, justice etc) could participate to the extent they desired.

My mind was on a roll with questions and people who might have answers, and the boards in my imaginary investigation room were rapidly filling up with notes and insights. It’s something that deeply interests me, this question of what society could be like if we can function together in more conscious awareness of who we truly are.

While creating a vision of a new society is certainly one way to step towards a new world, it’s no more valid than anything else that people might do that brings them joy. For my partner, his mind wanders to the forest where he can bike, or the activity in the night sky he likes to track, or the renovation work he is doing.  I really think that time to ponder what we love is key for positive progression.

When I feel unhurried, free to pursue what I’d like, my whole system is more relaxed, more in tune with the things I truly want out of life. It’s easier to eat in ways that are healthy, to think about planting my own food, to take regular exercise, and to take the time to notice how my neighbour is doing.

These are all things during our lockdown earlier in the year that became very evident. It was a time of self reflection, of seeing negative patterns and revisiting what is important in life. Sometimes it’s all too easy to get caught up in the doing, which feels like a distraction from the main event of being who we have come here to be.

Whatever you truly enjoy and feel passionate about, pursue it as much as you can, as often as you can, take one day at a time. Even if it feels trite, or that it won’t change the world, it will change your world. Then imagine a world full of people pursuing their passion, which is a world changed for the better.

If you enjoyed reading this, you may enjoy Take a Broader Perspective, Profit, Purpose and Personal Fulfillment Can Thrive Together - A Remarkable New Organisational Construct, Be An Evolutionary, and The Hidden Ingredient in Really Effective Problem Solving. To be the first to receive these posts, you can also opt to subscribe to my blog.