The world is undergoing a tidal wave of transformation. It’s visceral and real, an unstoppable force that’s sweeping the globe with a vengeance. The world food crisis has hit home, along with the soaring costs of living and essential commodities, the collapse of the US dollar, and the global environmental crisis.
“A rumor had spread that, while the city was burning, Nero had gone on his private stage and, comparing modern calamities with ancient, had sung of the destruction of Troy.”
-Cornelius Tacitus, The Annals, 117 AD
Rather than play the fiddle while Rome burns, we must be willing to dive even deeper into our true selves, and take a decisive action-based approach to stay balanced and positive through the coming challenges.
Here are the seven secrets to overcoming the pending economic, social and ecological collapse of the world as we know it:
1) Take responsibility for your life
In order to make real change in the world, we must first embody it in our own lives. We must be willing to take full responsibility for ourselves, and continually adjust our approach to life. This is a basic shift in attitude away from blame and victim-hood, and into true accountability and personal power.
It’s common to lose perspective on things and drop into fight-or-flight mode at any provocation, especially where our careers and livelihood are at stake. Many yoga and meditation practices can help you remain calm and cool through even the most challenging circumstances, but it can be as simple as answering whatever energy is coming at you with its opposite: If your experiencing provocation or conflict, send forth the energy of equanimity and compassion; if it’s fear or anxiety your facing, summon the energies of wisdom and self-confidence.
Whatever the situation at hand, give yourself the space to laugh a little! There are real problems facing the world, with more than 25,000 people dying every day from starvation alone, not to mention the natural disasters claiming hundreds of thousands of lives. Not that we should take burden of the world upon our shoulders, but we do have the responsibility to take committed action to improve our lives and the lives of our fellow people.
One simple place to start is through The Hunger Site, the innovative website that provides 1.1 cups of food aid to for every sponsor-funded click on their yellow “Click Here to Give” buttons, and larger amounts through their online store.
2) Commit to living the life of your dreams… every day
This should always be priority number one…if you want to be happy! Life’s too short to waste precious time in endeavors that don’t fulfill your dreams in some way. What’s your dream? As long as they go untended, your hopes and dreams can stagnate into metaphysical mosquito-larva infested cesspools that drain away our life force and vitality.
Make a conscious decision to leave behind your past failures and start again. Pretend your just getting the inspiration for that brilliant project or business idea that may have been lingering on your mind for months, and brainstorm it fresh on paper. Figure out what needs to be done and commit to taking the first steps towards accomplishing it. You’ll feel much better!
Living the life of your dreams also demands a fundamental personal shift. It’s about shifting into positive, heart-centered action - away from the social programming and belief systems we’re habitually brainwashed with - and into personal power. It takes a bold, decisive approach to life, and an ongoing commitment to living your destiny.
For more on this, see Eckhart Tolle’s runaway bestseller: A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose (Oprah’s Book Club, Selection 61)
3) Simplify your life
We all share a measure of responsibility for the problems in the world, particularly those of us in rich countries. Corporate greed and the pillaging of our planet’s natural resources is driven by demand. Without customers to buy the product, what would be the incentive to continue producing?
That doesn’t necessarily mean boycott all shopping. It just means cut back on the things in life you really don’t need, eliminate impulse buying and take a good look at where you place your values, what’s really important in life. Commit to spending just a bit more time on the things that bring you the most real, authentic, simple joy.
De-clutter your life and your mind, cut back on external noise and mental pollution, and there will inevitably be more space to enjoy the inherent beauty of life.
For the best in de-cluttering, getting things done and simplifying your life, check out Leo Babauta’s ever popular Zen Habits blog.
4) Go green…for real
‘Going green’ is an attitude. It’s not just that you recycle ’cause it’s probably a good idea, you do it cause it’s part of a way of life; a life that’s lived in gratitude and alignment with this great blue-green planet we all share, hurtling collectively through space at 67,062 miles an hour.
Spend more time in quiet contemplation and enjoyment of this magnificent world we inhabit, and you’ll find yourself irresistibly drawn to protect and love her however you can. After all, we really wouldn’t be here without the earth.
Now imagine half the world population doing this every day, and the climate crisis starts to look a bit more manageable. It’s time to step up the whole living green trend to a new level.
It’s time to step up the whole living green trend to a new level. For the best in green inspiration, see the Sundance Channel’s new series and website The Green: prime time for the planet.
Meditate on life and the source of all that is, and do so often. After all, since life contains all the myriad and infinite possibilities of existence, it truly is the best teacher.
5) Open your heart to abundance and follow your bliss!
Choose to shift into an open-hearted space of abundance and enjoyment in life. Allow yourself to receive, and allow others the opportunity to experience the joy of giving. Seek to excel in whatever field your passionate about, and as Joseph Campbell famously said, “follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you did not know they would be.”
Share your personal gifts and knowledge freely and generously, and give away a percentage of your earnings to the good work of the world, and you’ll create a powerful vacuum to be filled by the universal law of infinite return. Build a personal relationship with a trusted financial advisor, and do what they suggest if you already have one, but always trust your instincts!
Just about anything you really love can be converted into a side project with vast income generating potential. Many full-time jobbers come up with side projects that reflect their passions, and put their hobbies to work. With the right approach, you can never fail. Just remember not to let the financial bottom-line eclipse the social, ecological and moral considerations of your business endeavors.
If you haven’t already read it, a great resource for this is Tim Ferris’ #1 New York Times Bestseller: The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich
6) Trust in you
Imagine if everyone in the world was really living up to their true individual potential, beyond all the fighting and rhetoric, cultural and behavioral programming - this world would be a living paradise! It really does start with each of us, with the commitment to ourselves, to being in alignment with the source of life energy that runs through our veins and all living things.
It’s all about finding that place of balance between peace and prosperity, gratitude and survival, happiness and the global good - the place where we can remember deep in our hearts, that “all is well and everything’s unfolding as it should.”
Meditate on life and the source of all that is, and do so often. After all, since life contains all the myriad and infinite possibilities of existence, it truly is the best teacher. Therefore, there’s no better master than your true Self. Listen deeply to the call of your heart, and commit to fiercely decisive action in accordance with that.
“Man’s real nature is happiness. Happiness is unborn in the true self. His search for happiness is an unconscious search for his true self. The true self is imperishable. Therefore, when a man finds it he finds a happiness which does not come to an end.” -Sri Ramana Maharshi
7) Live every day as if it were your last
The bottom line is this: Imagining yourself on your death bed and looking back over your life, do you see yourself content that you’ve lived a good life, you’ve followed your heart and created a life for yourself that reflects your highest values, one that you could really enjoy…? Most likely then you’ll rest in knowing that you’ve lived truly well… you have fulfilled at least one small part of your great potential as a human being on this earth.
At the end of the day, there’s really not much more that one can ask for. So make the time to do the things you love and enjoy…’cause life is beautiful and you never know if this day will be your last!
The hard times are here and more may be on the way, but this is life after all! It can be a struggle or a challenge, but we have the free will to decide how we’re going to take it. Whether or not we believe we can put out the fire ourselves, with the right approach anything is possible. Plus, it’ll be more enjoyable along the way.
As the old saying goes, “you can’t stop the rain, but you can carry an umbrella.” Let wisdom, joy and decisive action be your ultimate umbrella against all the apparent hardships life throws your way.
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