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Thoughts
Redefining value and growth
by Pascal Tremblay on March 26th 2019
An age of recalibration
We live in interesting times to say the least. Between right-wing extremism, climate change, and rising inequality it can often feel like we're going through tumultuous waters. And we are. It's important to acknowledge those things and feel them without brushing the emotions that come up, but at the same time it's helpful to acknowledge and celebrate the surging counter-narrative. An increasing number of us are realizing that what we use to perceive as wealth isn't truly enriching and that together, we have the opportunity to refocus business, politics, and our lives on this planet as forces for good that align with our shared needs of love, health, and a clean planet.
In between the daily sensationalist headlines and short media news cycles, we can see this new reality coming to life in all sorts of beautiful ways like the rise of the sharing economy, ethical food systems, and young purpose-driven people running for offices around the world. Systems and power structures based on the old paradigms of greed and selfishness are slowly but surely being replaced or influenced by ones where equity, compassion, and the principles of interbeing are driving values. We're finally circling back to the wisdom traditions and once again acknowledging and respecting the fact that we are all individual parts in a very vast and wide web of life that needs a lot of TLC right now.
From that holistic perspective, opportunities for change abound and people from all walks of life are redefining what the words value and growth really mean to us as individuals and as a society. Money is good to have but how much is enough? What truly brings us joy? What connects us to our hearts and each other on meaningful levels? What truly matters for our well-being? How do we create systems and businesses that create less or no harm? These are all important questions the last 100 years of unconscious capitalism have helped us answer.
Today we all are all being offered an important part to play in the ongoing shift of consciousness towards a better and more enlightened world. And every action matters.
Planting seeds of change
Changing the world for the better often sounds like a lofty idea but a shift in perspective can help bring it down to a more manageable level. Charles Eisenstein recently offered the following question: Who is the most important person in South Africa's history? Most of us would answer Nelson Mandela as our first choice and rightfully so. However, Eisenstein offers us a different perspective: how did Mandela go through years and years of difficult time in prison and came out at the other end to be a force for peace? Perhaps it was because when he was a child his mother use to hold him tight every night and remind him that he is loved. So then, who is South Africa's most important person?
This highlights the importance of small acts of good everyday and how they do hold the power to change the world. Every single day we're offered dozens of ways where we can plant seeds of change into ourselves and others. It can be as simple as smiling to a stranger or interacting with your customers in a way that makes them feel really good or posting something on social media that touches just one person on a deep and personal level. All of our actions and words hold exponential power in shifting us away from the things that do not serve us anymore. How empowering!
What values do you hold you would like to see more of in the world? Are you living those values? Is your organization? How do you interact with the world? How can you inject more of the good kind of things everywhere you go?
We help people and organizations answer those questions. And live the full potential of that vision.
