Sustainability and The Kingdom of We (The Echo World, April 2017)
As Earth Day is celebrated this month, some of us are celebrating and working to raise awareness. Many of us live earth day as every day. Both are valuable. One of the challenges the environmental movement has faced from day one is what is called “the intention-behavior gap.” Put simply, why is it people who know better, don’t do better?
In last month’s article, The Simplest Answer (Echo, pg 23), I discussed how choosing to be happy can change everything in our lives and the world for the better. Much of the environmental movement has focused on how horrible the situation is. This leaves many people feeling helpless and hopeless…like the problem is too big for an individual to make any difference. Such feelings often lead us to disconnecting and making poor decisions….anything to stop the pain.
One of the benefits of choosing to be happy is that it enables us to feel more connected to ourselves, each other, and the planet. This connection can inspire us to work together, develop solutions and create a nurturing environment for us all. This is the essence of “The Kingdom of We.”
We’re all in this together and the possibilities are endless! When we consciously participate in the Kingdom of We, which includes everyone and everything in existence, we just cannot choose something for ourselves that would in any way harm anyone else…even if others might judge it so. The biggest barrier to conscious participation in the Kingdom of We, and to happiness, is judgment. Gratitude, on the other hand, is the biggest boost to both happiness and our full participation in the Kingdom of We. Think about it…have you ever been grateful for someone or something you were in judgment of? Really? Have you ever judged anyone or anything you were truly grateful for? Gratitude and judgment just can’t coexist.
So your mission this Earth Day…and every day, if you choose…is to be GRATEFUL for EVERYONE and EVERYTHING. Try it, you’ll like it…and it will change EVERYTHING!