Life & Launching

I like definitions. Word play. Words in general. Words have power. They can be beautifully descriptive, devastatingly misunderstood, or effect the world in a vast array of other ways.

So, I write each word you read here with purposeful intention (lots of extra care)(and then even more carefulness).

In this blogpost I attempt to untangle my thoughts on life and launching.

Life

What is my worldview? 

A worldview can be defined as…

• A particular philosophy of life or conception of the world
• The overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world
• A collection of beliefs about life and the universe held by an individual or a group

My dominant learning style is visual. So, picture this with me, okay? My worldview is best described as “in transit.” I like to picture that I am traveling. Whether on foot or bike, plane or train. I am continuously observing, learning, and changing course. I can choose to move forward and ignore the nuances of daily life happening around me or I can stop, stay for a while, build relationships, observe interconnectedness, and continue my journey having learned, loved, and changed a little piece of myself, and if I am lucky, the world. Sometimes traveling backwards (relearning or even unlearning) is helpful too.

Key features of my worldview include:

• Love. All you need is love. Yes, I genuinely think the world would be a better, safer, happier, healthier, more equal planet if humans genuinely loved each other, animals, and the environment.
• Relationship. I believe life journeys can be done in solace but also from interaction with others, the physical, and the metaphysical. 
• Positivity. Unconditional positive regard.
• Openness. To finding truth in many spaces, places, and faces. To change. I strive to maintain a global perspective and approach situations from a teacher/learner perspective.
• Humility, or being mindful of one’s modest existence in relation to the infinite universe. 
• Being mindful of your intent vs. your impact on the world around you. 

John Green beautifully summarizes humility and intent vs. impact in the following paragraphs.

“I think we are as likely to harm the universe as we are to help it, yes. (Actually, I think nothing any human being ever does will have any overall effect on t he universe. I mean, you’re talking about a single organism among trillions living on a single sphere among trillions in a single galaxy among 100-500 billion galaxies in a universe without an edge. It’s very difficult to get your head around just how small a part of the universe we are, and on some level, claiming that we can shape the universe is a little bit like the grain of sand on the beach that believes it can control the tides.)

Also, trying to do good is not the same thing as doing good. Many, many people have tried to do good and in the process done harm.

Of course, and this is the miracle to me, none of this exempts us from trying to do good. We must still serve our fellow humans, and the idea of life itself, as best we can—we must still strive to create a world in which people can lead healthy and productive lives without destroying biodiversity on our little sphere.

I don’t find our relative insignificance disheartening at all: The main thing it tells me is that in a culture that worships celebrity and the purportedly extraordinary, ALL people are ordinary people. ALL people have the same responsibilities to themselves and to each other. Maybe the universe cares nothing for us, but WE care about each other. And most encouragingly, we care not just for our friends or family but for the whole enterprise of life—we care about strangers and about humpback whales and, most beautifully of all, we care about the dead. We try with our lives to honor theirs. That’s how we make our lives meaningful, and how we make their lives meaningful, too.”

What is my theory of change?

• Most change begins internally via an intentional ongoing self-awareness process
• Awareness is a great responsibility
• Small actions, can create BIG changes
• Altruism, random acts of kindness, and pay-it-forward initiatives can make the world a little brighter. Such acts can create a ripple effect of kindness. 
• If you have an abundance of resources and are aware that someone has less than you, sharing/giving those resources can benefit both the giver and the recipient. 
• My theory of change is a fluid, intentional, and dynamic process. Key components include...
• Ongoing critical reflection of self, society, and lived experiences
• Strategically plan action steps
• Take action (political, social, civic, etc.) individually or collectively
• Reflect on actions
• Innovate new strategies/actions to decrease world suck
• Make habits out of actions with positive impacts
• Share/teach others how to decrease world suck

What are my passions?

• Global issues including hunger, literacy, and economic inequality
• Access to quality and affordable educational opportunities
• Creative social entrepreneurship ventures and microfinancing
• Socially conscious and environmentally friendly consumerism
• Animal therapy

What are my goals?

I strive to set S.M.A.R.T. goals. I do have a few life goals:

• Seek truth.
• Live a healthy lifestyle with respect to living beings and nature.
• Be intentional in practicing anti-oppressive social work. 

Launching

While we are “launching” I wanted to be mindful of my worldview, theory of change, passions, and goals. As Aaron and I launch our respective careers and find a new home, there is much uncertainty and therefore stress and anxiety. Jobs, income, student loan debt, moving. Reflecting on life helps me re-center, so thanks for reading!