Not sure how this month's newsletter idea came to me, but I do remember driving somewhere thinking about all the crap in the world. For some reason, while thinking . . . a bunch of "H" words starting popping into my head: help, heart, humor, hurt, harm, harass.
Then, I started reminiscing of things going on in the world that I've observed. While doing so, each one received an "H" assessment depending on its effect(s) on people/society.
The war in Ukraine = Hurt, Harm, Harass
Trolls on social media = Hurt, Harm, Harass
People judging each other without having an ounce of fact to merit their judgements = Hurt, Harm, Harass
A family donating a therapy dog to a school after losing their son = Help, Heart
People bringing in displaced Ukrainians due to war displacement = Help, Heart
Nurses working endless hours during a pandemic to help those in need= Help, Heart
Teachers working harder than ever to bring some sense of normalcy and comfort within a crazy world = Help, Heart, Humor
This list could go on and on. The point of the matter is this: where do you reside? Where do your daily actions/words fall under The Heart of the Matter?
You see, just as art often imitates reality; as a species, we often mirror what we observe and experience daily. And in a world of 24/7 "less than factual" news cycles along with the toilet water on the internet: social media, it's a toxic soup for disaster regarding human behavior.
YOUR WORKOUT
1. Make a list (or recall) some of your behaviors/interactions throughout one day. Then label which "H" would best correlate with each.
2. Reflect at the day's culmination and ask yourself: "Did my words/actions make the world a better place? Did they make me any happier or fulfilled?"
The bottom line is simply this: the more we reside on the positive side of The Heart of the Matter, the more sustainable our lives and our existence will be. An open hand equals an open heart. And in doing so, one person at a time, our ability to endure and thrive greatly improves!