With regards to life in this current chapter in life, and history, an important thing to remember is that a lot of people are traumatized right now.
It’s been a traumatizing year for 99% of people. What you are witnessing is trauma. This is ptsd manifesting in many people, and it’s coming out because the population’s psyche has been split.
Because of this it’s become very hard for people to take on other people’s opinions that differ from theirs.
Your power to influence people positively when you are being derogatory about their beliefs is minimal.
You’re in a situation where a lot of people won’t tolerate others thinking differently from them.
You can only find YOUR truth in all of this, but you can’t expect others to share your truth. This is their life, their experience and it will ultimately be lived their way. The same is true for you.
It can make things easier when you understand that people are behaving or speaking in a way that may not resonate with you because they’re in pain. They’re in mental pain and they likely have pain in their heart as well.
This is an opportunity for you as a leader, as an entrepreneur, as a purpose driven creator to actually show compassion and a greater level o understanding and to be very, very kind to your fellow man and woman at the moment. Not everybody is equipped to deal with the current climate.
Something that you and I can do is to employ more critical thinking.
What do i mean by that?
It’s the ability to question our own beliefs, and not just take the first thought that comes into our minds as the absolute truth. Remember, there is nothing that is absolutely true or absolutely false.
One of the ways to do this is to catch your thoughts and ask,
‘Is that true?’
’Is that going to be my reality just because I have a belief about it?’
‘Do I have to have other people believe that too?’
It’s a really good practice to question your own thinking, and even do some research around certain topics. You could even adopt different ways of thinking, and try new ideas on for size.
You don’t have to just accept a thought as the truth that becomes the reality you live by.
If we all employed a bit more critical thinking, and questioned our own thoughts, it would make us more rounded thinkers and less attached to what others believe.
People are very quick to judge others thoughts and opinions and then declare them as wrong, or cast them aside, rather than actually considering…
‘Does that person have a point at all?’
’Is there anything useful in that information or way of thinking?’
‘Can I learn something from this person?’
We don’t have to react. We can put in a pause between our thoughts and beliefs and our reactions.
I certainly think that a daily meditation practice would help with this.
A must-read book for any time in life, but certainly right now, is ‘Man’s Search For Meaning’ by Viktor Frankl. It’s a book that can really help with the mind and how we view the world. It’s certainly a book that can help put you in good stead for the year to come and other challenges that might arise.
When you’ve got a vision for your life and you’re mentally supported by your mind and your spirit to that vision, life becomes easier. It becomes more flow-based and there’s a lot less friction.
Another thing that is incredibly powerful as you navigate life is developing your own philosophy of life…
- What you make of life?
- What does life mean to you?
- What’s the big picture?
- What’s the spiritual meaning?
- What do you believe about life, and death?
You can start that journey by studying philosophy, and philosophers, old and new. I’m a big fan of stoic philosophy. You can also take parts from one philosophy or another and create your own philosophy of life and what it means to you, because there will always be events in life, or in the world, that are out of your control.
Prime your mind, your outlook and your mental health. Work on yourself first, then take that work and make that positive impact on the world and the people in it.
Believe more is possible,