RE: Discussion - Towards the Future: Creating a better World We All Want to Live In
I love this article. I'd not heard those stories about Steemit before and it was good to hear something more positive than the flag war ones I've read lately.
I'm not sure a better world can ever be created by changing things on the outside since what we create externally is a reflection of our internal processes. People are greedy because they think wealth (or other material things) will give them what they think is missing. Until they see that that isn't true they will continue to try and find happiness/peace/fulfilment in the external world.
It is hard to make the shift, particularly in Western cultures because the materialistic message is everywhere and is certainly the status quo.
One of things I find fascinating (and uncomfortable) about being on Steemit is my own journey. For example, noticing the times when I want to look after myself first, being too "scared" to power up because I might do it at the wrong time, feelings of scarcity because my upvotes are worth so little compared to other peoples, and on and on.
It's not pretty to see these things but I've long since given up beating myself up about them or even trying to change them. Where's the value in that? Better to trust that I am making a contribution if only by showing up the best I can.
Maybe the better world is already here and it depends what I am focusing on. That's not to deny the things you mentioned but they are not present right now. In the world in front of me.
What is here, is the opportunity to write from my heart and then to return to the rest of my day which includes being fully present to those around me and to myself. To be gentle to them and to me. And to live as fully as I am able.
Thanks for your lovely and insightful comment @gillianpearce!
Yes, we do have to start with ourselves, and that starts with knowing ourselves well enough to understand what truly matters... what matters "beneath the surface." Surprisingly few people get far enough in their personal growth process to truly get that if they feel an emptiness inside... there are no "things" on the planet that can fill it, only experiences and possibly LOVE.
I suppose one of the hard things here in the west is to reject the materialistic system and simply create your own paradigm. I experience very simple little "challenges" in everyday life... like when my adult kids want to know what I want for Christmas or my birthday, and there is really no explaining them that "things" hold little importance for me (we've settled on "food gifts" being a good idea!).
I can't help you "time" your powering up... I can only say that I remember to feel grateful that I am even ABLE to Power Up (or whatever benefit I get somewhere in life) in the first place. Striving for any kind of perfection can become a hurdle, in and of itself.
You're quite right about "orientation." It's a practice. When we look at what's around us... where do we focus our attention? On what is WRONG or on what is already RIGHT? Personally, I am choosing to look at what is right, as much as I can... while using open discussions of what might be seen as WRONG as "teaching moments;" invitations to people to examine their beliefs about specific things.