Well, a week has passed since our Presidential election and history has been made. Obama is in. McCain is out. For some it is a dream come true, for others their worst nightmare. Regardless of your perspective, we all have an opportunity to reflect, re-evaluate and flow with events as they have unfolded. Personal preferences not withstanding, there is a gift waiting to be claimed for all of us as a result of this momentous event. It’s up to us to receive or reject the gift.
That gift is the ability to rise above what we prefer and move into the kind of cooperation that invites growth and positive change. Any event becomes positive when we choose to respond with “Great, a new adventure.” Unfortunately for many, our comfort zone, fear and anxiety, coupled with partial truths and the unknown, will distort and magnify our fear. The label we provide to current events is uniquely our own, and mirrors the rest of our life. Today’s media is famous for playing to the shadow side of humanity. Let’s us not do the same.
This election is only a microcosm that provides a glimpse into how we do our own life. Charles Dickins said, “It is the best of times, and it is the worst of times.” It’s no different today than it was when he wrote A Tale of Two Cities. Today the same truth holds true: it is us who determines whether it is the best or the worst of times.
Here’s where reflection and re-evaluation comes into play.
First, if you find yourself upset or overly elated as a result of this election, consider the following: every human being has a light and a shadow side. This election is a perfect example of how the light/shadow dynamic plays itself out. Here are a few questions that may give you some insights for consideration.
- Is the upset/elation yours? Strange as that sounds, we are social creatures, and not immune to what others are feeling and saying. Practice awareness, and you’ll find it reaps dividends. This holds true for a lot more than the election!
Recognize how you are prone to be swayed, and it will give you a greater freedom to tap into knowing what is right for you in each moment. Just look at the press: doom and gloom. Remember that in every downturn of the economy, there are still folks who open up, expand and thrive.
- Do you believe that all your problems will be solved/magnified as a result of a changing of the guard?
Do you look outside yourself for answers or do you trust yourself first and foremost? Shakespeare said, “To thine own self be true…” That’s nice, except that it takes great courage to be true to your beliefs. Witness all the folks who have complained during this election that their point of view is ridiculed. To them, I would ask, how do you ridicule yourself? To the folks that felt themselves “in the know about what is best for everyone else” I would ask, are you willing to allow someone to have a differing opinion without calling them evil, misinformed or stupid? These two examples are an example of our shadow side and unconscious belief systems in action.
It’s been said that how you do anything is a microcosm of how you do everything.
For or against our candidates and what they represent, ultimately the buck stops within each of us. What we like or dislike in another is buried within us. Accept that, and you will find great gems of truth that can propel you beyond ordinary life into extraordinary living. Light or shadow, it’s all part of the mix that makes us us.
I’d love to hear your comments!
To your brilliance,
Lin
