I found myself stuck in a rut of sorts when it came to my actions and thinking--I felt like I was going around in circles like a hamster on one of those wheels they have in their cages. I was spinning in such a way that I was repelling people around me. Why?
I think that I was expecting life to be as it had been or at least as I thought it was rather than what life was really like. I was stuck in a kind of time warp that defined the people, places, and actions around me in an outdated, somewhat closed minded way. I didn't take stock of the reality around me.
I want to escape that hamster wheel and see the world around me for what it really is. I want to redefine where I'm headed and why I'm moving in that direction. I don't want to escape the reality, but instead confidently embrace the reality around me..
So what's happening and how do I want to deal with it.
My values remain the same. I want to live an honest life that seeks to support as good as possible living for myself, my family/friends, and the community at large. I love the ideal of working for a society where EVERYONE has the opportunity to live a good life and everyone takes responsibility for that mission with regard to their actions and attitudes. I don't want to be apart of a society that hurts and harms people or a society that neglects people's education, health care, environmental needs, and the opportunity to promote the "pursuit of happiness" in positive, uplifting ways.
So how do these same values move me to live differently.
First, with too many leaders in office who don't share my values, I have to work harder to promote what I believe is right and good for our communities, country, and world. I can't sit back and hope that others will do it, but instead I have to become more active with respect to promoting the positive country and society I believe in. I know that I'm not alone in this regard--I know many, many people who share my vision for a country that lives up to its ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for ALL, not just a few brazen, untruthful egomaniacs.
Next, I have to stand up for my values in situations great and small. I don't have to take abuse, dishonesty, irresponsibility--instead, I can draw the line when it comes to disrespect and only support respectful, caring collaboration and efforts.
Further I can do what I can to contribute to loving, kind, positive communities by caring for my family and friends, taking care of my property, contributing to the community at large, and speaking up to support the freedom, laws, policies, regulations, and efforts that create strong, loving communities.
I've wasted too much time trying to make sense out of dishonest, cruel, hurtful, disrespectful behaviors because those behaviors don't make sense or match my values. Instead I want to make a greater effort to surround myself with the kinds of people and efforts that lead to a more respectful, loving, positive, innovative and responsive society, the kind of society that works for good living for ALL. Onward.
