Perhaps you read this title and thought, what’s this guy on about? Is he just trying to be provocative and controversial? Really I’m not, but let me explain a bit about what I mean here and hopefully earn your trust on this one!
There’s a lot of chatter around these days that the “world has gone mad”, or that things are getting worse not better all the time. It’s easy to get drawn into this way of thinking for a number of reasons, including the fact that we are given this message through social media and our news outlets all the time.
But determining if its actually true is much more difficult and not really the point of this discussion anyway.
It’s more about our individual viewpoint on the issue and how we affect the world around us.
I’m obviously not saying that you as an individual control how all the things happen in the world just by looking at them. No one person has that kind of power (luckily!). But as a collective we do influence each other, through our thoughts and actions. Every time you look lovingly at another person, or think highly of someone, or do something positive in the world, that affects your energy and that of the people around you.
It spreads from one person to the next, so in that way your way of seeing the world does have an effect that is greater than what you might think at first.
The other meaning in this title comes down to how you feel about your own life and your place in the world. Most of what actually makes up our lives: the day to day activities we take part in, our time at home with our families, even our jobs, are generally fairly insulated from “the madness” that we keep being told about. In fact it’s mostly just the chatter about the fact that it exists that has any direct influence on our lives. If you disconnect from that chatter, you may find that life seems better all of a sudden.
Our news media is full of sensational stories that are meant to titillate and provoke, and keep your attention as long as possible. Most of social media is designed the same way. Everyone is fighting for your attention.
Now you may argue that its important to be connected into what’s happening in the world. And that is true, but I would argue that the method of connection is key. Connecting into the sensational, the negative, is not helpful. Fostering connection through real social relationships and community, building strength through becoming more conscious of our connections to each other at a deeper level, connections that are often ignored. This is where we will truly discover what is happening in the world. This is where we will each stop playing a part in perpetuating the “madness”.
This madness we keep hearing about isn’t a permanent fixture of humanity. It isn’t inevitable and it isn’t our true nature. It can be reduced and then eliminated over time. That process starts with each one of us.
And its really quite simple. Think, act and be in a place of integrity. Be authentic and honourable in everything you do, say and think.
Your life will improve and then the lives of those around you will improve. And on it will go.