An urgent call to action. What’s been happening in the United States IS a white-black thing.
While it’s also…
a battle of love vs hate thing.
a senseless fear-filled compassionless life and death thing.
It’s scary. It’s sad. It’s heart-wrenching. It’s infuriating. It’s inexplicable and it’s our current reality.
It’s OUR shared problem = all races, genders, sexual orientations, religions, socioeconomic statuses…
ALL HUMANS ARE IN THIS AND IT’S OUR JOB TO FACE IT, SO WE CAN MOVE THROUGH IT TOGETHER, AS ONE.
We all share responsibility for what comes next. Like most things in life, we can’t do it alone…but each individual person can make a difference for us all.
How will you move through the world?
Will you: Hide? Deny? Pretend? React? Respond? Reply? Cower? Fight? Flee? Freeze? Duck? Preach? Empower? Teach? Protect? Love?
Life is hard no matter how you slice it.
Some people want to feel a sense of control by taking away from others, acting from animalistic rage, senselessly killing in hopes to stomp out their own fears and insecurities.
I ask you again to make conscious choice about how YOU choose to move through the world from now on?
How will you bring your best self, in all of its imperfection — with all of its complex feelings — by bringing more light than darkness, more compassion than separation, more love than hate?
The choice is always yours.
I ask of you to take this choice seriously and to stand in the goodness, push through your own fears and insecurities (we all have them!), be a better human to yourself and to others than you were yesterday.
Some ways to start include:
Speak up about how you’re feeling: acknowledge that we have a big race problem and a love-hate problem in the world. Without openness about it – oppression, hate, senseless killings will prevail. This can be scary and vulnerable. Challenge yourself to do it anyway, bit by bit. It makes a difference!
Encourage others to speak authentically about their feelings: Be a model for others to keep dialogue open.
Post on social media to raise awareness and authentic dialogue: As long as denial and avoidance continues, people will continue to oppress minorities and whether you want to be or not, you are part of that oppression.
Re-post messages from others on social media: If you aren’t sure what to say, post other people’s messages that resonate for you. If their message may help to educate others, increase visibility of the issues and/or create dialogue for change – re-post! Feel free to re-post this blog as your first step taking action.
Be a loving presence: Smile at other humans, open doors for them, share joy and kindness where you can. Use this free guided meditation to access more loving kindness within yourself.
Get self-aware: These issues are complicated and can be painful. Be brave and take the time to pause, notice your emotions, thoughts and body sensations as you stay present to the realities of the race issues, hate crimes and violence that’s happening every day! Notice where you stop/deny/become closed. Notice what you do with those uncomfortable sensations. Notice where you shutdown and disempower yourself. Acknowledge yourself when you push through and stay open in the midst of uncomfortable feelings/sensations.
While I’m not black and I can’t begin to understand what it’s like to be a black person, I know that with all my heart, that I want all humans to work together as one — from a place of honor, respect, compassion and love to create a world where love is always the champion.
Let’s lead with love…together.
P.S. Leading with love can begin with sharing this blog to raise awareness of how to create change, together!
