2024 Energy
Our world is full of hatred, injustice, and oppression. When we think about everything wrong in the world it can feel big and scary. You may be telling yourself that you are powerless and can’t change the world around you because you are only one person among billions. What about everyone else? These are thoughts everyone experiences at some point in their life. I have pondered this myself over and over again. This past year has been full of cruelty, violence, and too much death. The energy of sadness, lack of self-worth, negativity, and fear can be felt almost everywhere we go. It is impacting our children, families, communities, and us as individuals.
To create a world rooted in love and light we have to create spaces where difficult conversations can happen without judgment. We have to work together to make changes in our communities that will create a ripple of healing that can spread beyond our borders. We have to participate in our communities and contribute in ways that bring people together. If you are someone who believes that everyone should have access to nutritious food, clean drinking water, housing, medical care, mental health care, or other important necessities then you have to do what you can to address these issues of oppression.
Zooming out and looking at everything that is wrong with the world can be discouraging and feel hopeless. I encourage you to zoom in and ask yourself, “What can I do to better my community?” We all have different abilities, skills, and resources. Not everyone can contribute in the same way and that is okay. Do what you can to help foster positive changes in your community.
Some ideas include
Donating money to those in need.
Donating books to schools and libraries.
Growing fruits, vegetables, and herbs to share with your neighbors.
Teaching the skills you know to others in your community (i.e. gardening, carpentry/construction, herbalism, foraging, kindness, and more)
Volunteering in your community at schools, community centers, libraries, shelters, and food panties.
Donating clothing, toiletries, food, and items that no longer serve you.
Being a shoulder for someone to lean on.
Taking time to actively listen to other people’s stories and experiences.
The ways we can contribute are endless. As a reminder, all you can do is your best and your best will look different every day. Do what you can and take pride in the ways you serve others. Even simple acts like offering a smile to a stranger can have a large impact. You have more power and value than you think. When you believe in yourself and you believe in others the changes that happen are incredible.
Take some time today and reflect on the changes you would like to see and how you can contribute to those around you. Writing down your thoughts may be helpful to reframe them. What would you like to see change as we transition into 2024?