It’s that time of year when we are called to look back, take stock of the year and intentionally focus on what we want moving forward.
For years now, I’ve not made “New Year’s Resolutions”, knowing that most people lose their motivation by sometime in mid to late February. Yes, I do think through changes I’d like to make. BUT I do so with compassion for myself and an understanding that I probably can’t lose all the weight, work out 5x a week, write a chapter a week, become vegan (feel free to insert whatever sky high goal you have here.)
There’s something to be said (a lot, actually) for self-acceptance. Much of our desire to make changes within ourselves comes from a place of aggression.
What if, instead, we were able to acknowledge that real change is hard and that the motivation actually MUST come from a place of true connection and happiness?
What if, instead, we didn’t just focus on ourselves but looked at the great world around us and asked ourselves how we might make change in the world?
2020 aside, there was already quite enough change required to keep our planet, our future and the future of all beings safe and secure.
In Loving Kindness meditation, we begin with ourselves, knowing that we must wish ourselves happiness, safety, well-being and peace before we can genuinely wish that for others. The last repetition of the meditation asks for the happiness, security, well-being and peace for ALL beings. To be honest, whenever I say “may all beings be healthy in body and in mind,” especially in this time, I feel a real pang. How can I make this real? How can I go beyond wishing others well?
And, so, this year, not only am I taking the measure of my personal goals and aspirations, I am making a conscious decision about how I want to support others.
Yes, I do this through Your Awakened Heart (in fact, for me, the utmost goal of Your Awakened Heart is to bring a sense of awakening and compassion to others) but can I extend change to people I may never meet?
This year, I have committed to givegoodwell.com and am focusing a good portion of my charitable giving to the most effective charities in the world. The concept behind Effective Altruism is that we can focus on the most effective charities, make a pledge to give away a certain portion or our incomes and do it automatically, so that we aren’t bound by our emotions. You can read more about that game-changing philosophy.
If we each chip away at solving the problems that are plaguing us (pun intended), we can change the world.
Be the change you want to see.
May you be happy, secure, well and at peace. And, really, who gives a hoot about those extra five pounds?