Questioning Everything is on the Horizon
As I was questioning everything, I read this comment yesterday that stayed with me, “Same shit. Different decade.”
As a child of war, I laughed out loud and wept on the inside.
Some of us choose to rely on trusted, and what we believe to be reliable, sources just because everyone else does. When the conversations and people around us are negative, this energy seeps into our lives. When the news broadcasts 24/7 all the horrible things that are happening in the world, we get to choose whether to buy-into the stories projected on our screens or what we can actually do at this point in history. We didn’t just come here to be someone else’s “audience.”
But what the digital platforms we each have access to today (if we have a device, connectivity and a way to charge it) allows us to get rid of the gatekeeper and find out things for ourselves. We can find ways to connect directly with people on the ground who can tell us what is happening. There is no need for experts or pundits. But most of us have been conditioned to rely so heavily on gatekeepers that we don’t know how to simply connect directly.
After becoming a digital nomad in May 2021, I joined a number of communities that help me navigate my path tremendously. Sure, I have to sift through lots of posts to find what resonates with me. But I am learning more and more every day, how important it is to rely on myself and only give my trust to people who are truly reliable and walk their talk.
While these communities have been valuable in providing on the ground information, I am also receiving firsthand information from every corner of the world as events unfold. And right now, I am reminded, once again, about how during times of crisis, we actually know how to come together. And how people show their true colors if we are willing to truly see, and how it bubbles up during conflict.
We have been so focused on resolving conflicts that we often forget what the dispute is actually about when people are pinned into their side and all they know is to fight and win. And poke fun and degrade the “other” side. For me, it’s becoming increasingly easier to walk away than to keep on fighting as there is really no “good” fight. That’s just a clever television show.
Questioning Everything
As 2022 is the year of choice and discernment, life is giving us ample opportunities to practice, unlearn and grow. We get to be in charge of how we react and the choices we make.The world may be out of whack and yet, we can tap into our own balance. For example, it’s up to each of us to become aware of who we trust and learn to forgive ourselves when we trust people who are unaware that they are not who they say they are. And also understand that while everyone is doing their best, it might not meet our own needs and that is ok.
This is very personal and goes against much we have been taught as we get to choose who we trust and gets to share our life. We can choose not to take on the fear, anger, hate, sadness or problem of another. It’s not ours and we may daily face situations where we get to choose, for example:
- courage over fear
- harmony over anger
- love over hate
- joy over sadness
- possibilities over challenges
The question is are we ready to face ourselves before trying to fix everything and everyone around us? Are we aware of what is in and out of our control? While I have been feeling sadness lately, I realized it was not mine. I was simply meant to examine this energy but not let it in; that’s why questioning everything is a new tool that is available to each of us. And a way forward to lift ourselves and each other even in the most uncomfortable situations.
Poet Tanya Markul reminds us that “Shame on me for standing knee-deep in someone else’s muck. Because of my fear. Because of my judgements. Because I wanted them to try another way. But as I recognize a piece of me reflected in their stagnant water, I see the milemarker, and the tombstone for the person I used to be. So I make one helluva exit and move on.”
Are You Connecting the Dots?
Being curious means allowing ourselves to be in a state of not knowing, and opening ourselves to possibilities, especially when it comes to everything around us. There is so much that is revealed to us when we become truly curious. And we also unleash new truths when we do. You see, once we are aware of something, we cannot not know it, no matter how much we try to ignore it or suppress it.
The work we are being called to do is personal. Finding our own humanity and taking action is also available to each of us. We are more powerful than we were told and our choices and actions matter. For those of us who don’t care if the apple cart is upset or not, there are options. If someone chooses to be outraged or defend their position it’s their choice. But in the end, they are the ones who need to pick and organize their own apples.
Through every conscious decision we make, we choose how we want to live the rest of our time on this planet. We were never meant to be divided and suffer through our lives. We can free ourselves from the prisons of our minds, generational conflicts and societal wars through our own actions. This matter so much because when we are at peace with ourselves, we no longer need to win and conquer another. We can roll up our sleeves and get to “work” with how we choose to spend our attention, time, money, and energy
Questioning everything is an art form that takes time to develop. I not only pray that I get to experience a world without divisions and borders that need to be defended before I die, but I am also tapping into my personal power to plant the seeds of hope and understanding. I send loving energy to you at this critical time in our history.