How to Change the World

So you want to change the world?

I suggest that you start with your inner world.

We are all a part of a large collective. Naturally, our thoughts and actions influence the whole. The more at peace we are inside, the more peace we can contribute outside ourselves. 

So, how can we cultivate this peaceful environment within ourselves? That is a question whose answer has many layers, and is unique to each individual. But one tool that has proven to be invaluable to me, is changing the way in which I look at the world. Allowing myself the space to see the magic within and all around me has shifted the way that I interact with myself and the world in a big way. Not only am I able to find joy in many unexpected places, but it has also given me deeper trust in my own path.

Perspective is everything. Take young children for example, so full of hope and so easily wonderstruck by the seemingly mundane. But what if those seemingly mundane things weren’t so humdrum to us? What if every time we looked at a snowflake, we remembered the literal magic that is billions of tiny, one-of-a-kind mandalas of frozen water falling from the sky? What if we were awestruck by the pure beauty, wisdom and strength of the ancient tree at the end of our block? How about the splendor of our own bodies . . . how they function with such beautiful intricacy, and give us this incredibly rich experience of being here on Earth?

At what point did we forget about the magnificence of the planet that we live on, and the harmonious potential between us and her? When did we stop appreciating the delicious and nutritious foods that literally grow out of the ground? Don’t you think it’s miraculous that the planet we live on has food that grows almost everywhere that meets the exact needs of our bodies and tastes good?

The universe is designed to utter perfection, and we are a part of this grand design, but for many generations, a great majority of humanity has been asleep to it all. 

If we could experience the inspiration around every corner, imagine how much more joy, excitement and hope we could have in our lives. What if we dared to dream as big and exuberantly as the 4-year-old who lives in the next apartment over? What if we could open ourselves to the possibility that we can live our passions and thrive? What would you be doing right now? 

We can shift the narrative, but first, we have to remember who we really are. We must claim our sovereignty, and at the same time, remember our connection to all of life and the elementals — to the birds and the bees, the four–leggeds, the flowers and the trees, to the rivers and the mountains, to the flames and the air that we breathe. We must remember the magic, and realize that it is a part of who we are, and that we do have the power to shift the way things seem to be. 

Next time (and then hopefully every time) you go outside, take a few moments of silence and stillness, breathe deeply, and open your eyes to the awe-inspiring beauty of all that is (including yourself!). It may take a little more effort to see if you aren’t surrounded by a luscious natural landscape, but even the little “weeds” that push their way up through the concrete hold the secrets of the universe.