It wasn’t planned this way but after I finished my post on Saturday a few more of the opposite pairings came to mind that seemed important to add to the conversation. This whole pairing idea was started because of the importance of questioning and expanding our thinking. If we don’t attempt to fully examine a wide spectrum of ideas then the mindless repetitive nonsense of of those who are have yet to awaken will be in charge of the world. Here are three more pairs of thought that will benefit us to examine:
Anger or appreciation – it seems the world is run by anger lately. The underbelly of anger is made up of fear and the needs of the ego. When either fear or ego is in charge the world is in a mess. Anger has been leaking out all over the political process because people’s fears are stirred up and egos feel out of control. Politicians who use fear as a major way to get votes are selling their souls because of a hunger for power.
The opposite of anger is appreciation and a key component to a healthy mental and emotional state. When we focus on what we have to appreciate in life, everything seems better and possibilities seem endless. So the choice is appreciate what is or feel miserable about what isn’t. Neither by the way are right or wrong they are simply opinions or thoughts directed by how we want to look at things. Appreciation has two great advantages: one is that it feels so much better to be in appreciation and two is things work out for the better when we are focused on being grateful.
Competition or cooperation – Our nation is highly competitive and that has advantages but not when it often takes the form of having to be right or needing to be in control. There are many who feel they have to win as if their self-esteem is dependent on it. Winning or losing doesn’t matter unless that sneaky ego of ours is involved. Competition has the capacity to bring out the best in people and sadly sometimes the worse.
Cooperation is definitely needed at almost every level of human society. Families need to work together to stay together. Work doesn’t work without people cooperating with each other. Communities fall apart without people working together. Our government is a mess because egos see being right as more important than seeking solutions. Cooperation is a problem solver and solution innovator and so needed today in this country and around the globe.
Isolation or Connection is a growing concern in this nation. Watching the world on TV or on the Web doesn’t mean we are connecting to people. Many people live in the incredible isolation of the fear of their own thoughts and beliefs. We are all global partners on the planet so we need to think big and beyond the imaginary boundaries of our maps. What we do in our community has a greater affect on the entire planet than most would realize. If we live, buy and act locally we limit the planetary affect.
Connection is a huge piece of the puzzle for solutions to the world’s problems. If we sit down with each other we will discover how much in common we have. We all want a better life for ourselves and our families. We all want the freedom to choose our own life. We all want love. We all want a purposeful life. We all want so many things just like everyone else. Yes we are deeply connected at so many meaningful levels. If we realize our connection there is no limit to the resources we can bring together to resolve all the world’s issues.
So keep expanding our thinking, keep opening ourself to possibilities and keep awakening more fully for the good of all humanity.