As is presently happening and in the coming decades, severe weather, ecological destruction, forced displacement of populations, natural disasters, increased fossil fuel prices, resource shortages, chemical pollution and so on will all affect the global economy, the job market, resource and food availability, supply chains and the overall livability of our planet. This has been termed by some “The Great Simplification” or “The Great Reset”.
As difficult as the situation is, it is an opportunity, like any other fork in the road, to decide who we choose to be in the face of these events. For this reason I would like to propose a “Great Reframe” to the matter.
It is clear to most people that the current system is not working. It does not make us happy, it does not bring out the best in us, it is not looking out for our best interests, for our mental health, our physical health, our spiritual health or higher aspirations.
We feel disconnected from others, from ourselves, from nature and from life itself.
Looking around the world we see confusion, heart ache, violence, division. There certainly is light in the world and it is always moving and finding a way, but we know we want a lot more of it.
It happens to be that the same kinds of changes that will be necessary to cope with the conditions going forward are the very things that can make us healthier and happier humans. For example, acting on our passions allows us to produce better solutions to our world’s problems and it also makes us happier. Relying less on big agriculture allows us to know more about where our food is coming from and what is in it. Travelling less allows us to breath in less fumes and have more time. Less “high-energy-consumption” comforts in the house like perfect heating and A/C, televisions, speakers, computers, prompts us to spend more time outside. Greater necessity to rely on our communities instead of being able to rely on amazon deliveries for everything we need encourages us to build real human bonds with others in our communities, and restore a sense of brotherly love within them. Inability to consume far beyond what is necessary prevents us from gaining a sense of self-worth through consumption of big-ticket items and from comparing ourselves so heavily to others, instead putting more focus on what is truly important. Shortage of meat products could cause us to eat a more plant-based diet, which is far healthier and more humane. In a job market that is less certain, we can let our passion and the joy of giving guide us in developing and sharing the skills and knowledge we feel most naturally called to contribute toward the upliftment of our neighbor and the world, which will give us more joy than having a “safe” job we are not passionate about and feels like a grind. As the world needs the gifts of our brotherly love and authentic passion to produce real and sustainable solutions now more than ever, we have an even bigger reason to look beyond ourselves to something larger, taking the burden off always thinking about ourselves and what we have or don’t have. We as individuals can lean into these changes in the right way and come out healthier and happier on the other side.
I am exploring ways by which I can make the best of the coming changes, and am sharing through the journal page what I find. I hope for you the ability to find your own way, suited to you, which will allow you to welcome the coming changes with a heart full of encouragement, and a greater vision of the love we can share as humanity.