Changing the World Starts with Changing Yourself. Really.

If you don’t like the way the world is and want to make it better, your only choice is to change yourself. “Be the Change” is the title for the tenth and final episode of “Engaging with a Messy World,” featuring Susan Riggs. We cannot change others so, if we sincerely want the world to be better, we must change ourselves in ways that will foster peace and unity in our volatile and divisive society. But how?

Susan explains how our healing inner work

allows us to be effective in our outer work.

Inner work is any deliberate practice of reflection and self-exploration that increases awareness of self, others, and society. It helps us understand the reasons why we think what we think and do what we do. Outer work includes our interactions with others, like providing help, sharing, or engaging in mindful conversation.

My inner work has included study, therapy, and meditative prayer.

Here’s an example of outer work. A close friend and I agreed to talk about the election—her political views differ widely from mine. As I started listening to her reasoning, I felt my chest and stomach clench. But I took some breaths and kept listening. In turn, she respectfully listened to me. This one-hour conversation helped us better understand each other, provided practice in deep listening, and smoothed a path for future civil dialogues. My relationship with her helps me resist the trap of labeling anyone on the “other” side as bad or stupid— she is clearly neither of these.

Ghandi writes that changing ourselves actually changes the

attitude of the world and describes this as the “divine mystery supreme.”

He says: “We but mirror the world. All the tendencies present in the outer world are to be found in the world of our body. If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. This is the divine mystery supreme. A wonderful thing it is and the source of our happiness. We need not wait to see what others do.”  1913, Indian Opinion.

So, how do we change our own nature?

The necessary inner and outer work requires these four steps:

1. Humbly admit you don’t know everything and are imperfect.

2. Decide you really want to change, that is, to improve, grow, or better understand yourself and others.

3. Prioritize regular quiet time in your life for reflection, communing with nature, meditative walking, or prayer. Without dedicated quiet time and solitude, inner growth is impossible.

4. While repeating the first three steps, do the outer work of  service, civil conversation, and listening to others who are different from you—always respecting them as children of God, even if you you seriously disagree with them.

Though the steps sound simple, they are transformative. Remember Susan’s words….

We have No Idea What is Possible.

SUGGESTIONS:

1. Watch and share“Engaging with a Messy World.” Each of the ten free episodes lasts about 20 minutes and includes a brief written summary and several helpful resources. Multiple topics are included— Episode 10 is “Be the Change.”

2. Take a few minutes to consider how to add quiet time to your schedule. Getting up 10-15 minutes earlier works for many.  

EXTRAS

-ALL 10 EPISODES NOW AVAILABLE -

Engaging With a Messy World
Free 10-Episode Video Series

Please check out and share Messy World!!

Below is a video short from the latest episode.

In case you missed my earlier announcement, my good friend Integral Coach Susan Riggs and I have officially launched our free video series, “Engaging with a Messy World”! We are convinced the information in each 20-minute episode can help you survive, thrive, and even bring healing to what many are calling our “world on fire.”

To avoid missing any of the upcoming episodes, please subscribe to my newsletter or to my YouTube channel. Please let Susan or I know what you think or if you have any questions.

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Dr. Donna Chacko promotes health of body, mind, and spirit through her website (serenityandhealth.com), her blog, her podcast/vlog series, “Engaging with a Messy World” and " “Pop-Up Conversations on Health of Mind, Body, and Spirit,” and programs at her church. She is the author of Pilgrimage: A Doctor’s Healing Journey (Luminare Press, 2021), a recent best-seller on Amazon, 2022 Illumination Awards Gold Medal Winner, 2022 Reader Views Literary Award Gold Medal Winner, and 2022 Catholic Media Association First Place Awards.