From Earth Shattering to World Building

Sometimes it feels like we move from one earth-shattering crisis to another. It's not difficult to become perpetual victims of chaos and crisis if this is our prevailing life view. It all becomes so overwhelming. If you turn on a cable news channel the red banner of Breaking News will be boldly displayed in red on the bottom of the screen. If it isn't there immediately, just wait a minute. Of course the announcement is always intended to be shocking. It’s never good. Earth-shattering things are happening all of the time, so there's little need to invent things that will agitate people. We seem addicted to hearing and watching what awful things are going on. Like voyeurs who can't seem to take their eyes off of something salacious, we just keep coming back for more. I think it might be time to shift from our fascination on the earth-shattering to a focus on world-building and what each of us might do to further those efforts.

"Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced." ~ James Baldwin

The movement from earth-shattering to world-building requires a bit of self-awareness and some heartfelt commitment to change. But it's not too hard and doesn't require volunteering in some faraway disaster area. Changing the world in which we live for the better begins in our own homes. When we take an inventory of the way we interact with the people who live under our roofs, it will certainly reveal plenty of room for improvement and growth. Sure, we love each other, but probably miss dozens of opportunities to demonstrate it every day.

One way to engage in some world-building around home is by showing the genuine delight we experience in the presence of our loved ones. I try this out frequently, and it's always a hit. When I tell my grandson or granddaughters that they are stars, superheroes, or how cute and funny they are it always results in squirming, smiles or giggles (of course, then I rile them up and make life more difficult for their parents). The eyes of my wife and grown children twinkle with appreciation when I express my admiration for them. It works every time. And believe it or not, the world becomes a happier place as well. The ripples become waves to ride as we carry what I call the 'delight program' into our neighborhoods and greater community. This is because delight fosters remarkable transformation in anyone it touches and then spreads from one person to the next.

The Yiddish expression mazel tov comes from Hebrew words meaning "a constellation of good stars and destiny" This is wishing unfettered congratulations and joy for someone in whom God delights. And God delights in each and every one of us. The world can be shattered in violence if we engage in hate. But it can be built and reconstructed with love and delight. It is a matter of choice. As for me, I think a good mazel tov is best. After all, you are the apple of God's eye.

The Sustaining Gift of Encouragement

“Follow your dreams. Be yourself, an angel of kindness, There's nothing that you cannot do. I believe, I believe, I believe in you.” ~ Il Divo

Encouragement is the gift that keeps giving. One of the most powerful things we can possibly hear is the phrase ‘I believe in you’.  It comes to us when we need it the most and rescues us from the bog of self-doubt.Just when we think that everyone has lost faith, that we are hopelessly lost and doomed to lose, an angel appears with the words to sustain us saying ‘I believe in you’.  When we hear them we receive hope, our energy is renewed and we begin to believe in ourselves again.  The confidence of our resolve is restored so that we can battle the difficulties before us.

There are people who do believe in us.  When times get tough it is critical that we remember the encouragement that they have given in the past.  Someone has looked us in the eye saying ‘you can do it’ and then we have.We found the energy to overcome, persist and endure.  We have summoned the buoyancy of resilience and finished the race.  When we have doubts in ourselves or find ourselves being filled with self-criticism, it is important to replay the tapes of those who have fortified us.  It is just as important to spread the words to those who are struggling along with us.How often we have the opportunity to tell someone that we believe in them and let it slip away.  When we encourage each other, believe in them and affirm their journey, we shine a light for everyone to follow.

Today I will seek the counsel of those who believe in me and will encourage someone else with my believe in them.

Robert Kenneth Jones is an innovator in the treatment of addiction and childhood abuse.

In a career spanning over four decades, his work helping people recover from childhood abuse and addiction has earned him the respect of his peers.

His blog, An Elephant for Breakfast, testifies to the power of the human spirit to overcome the worst of life’s difficulties. We encourage you to visit and share this rich source of healing, inspiration and meditation.

Contact Bob Jones on Linkedin

Bob Jones’ blog An Elephant for Breakfast