The way I see it, there are two paths we can choose to take. One leads to further conflict, and the other takes us toward greater compassion and peace. In the first case, we see that conflict is on the rise; and with it comes deeper economic crises, ongoing wars and famines, more unemployment, heightened levels of global warming . . . you name it.
But at the same time, I look around and see love and compassion. More and more people give of themselves these days than before, and greater numbers of individuals take action and partner with others to make the world a better place to live in. I see countless people who care deeply about their fellow human beings, animals, and the environment.
Taking Responsibility for Our Role in Our Collective Future
Imagine how it would feel if you woke up one morning with a certainty in your heart that a huge shift was coming? That this change was needed and wanted and inevitable . . . that it would eventually permeate the whole world?
I've always wished for this change. We're all part of it, everyone in the world. We all have a stake in our collective future. We have a choice to make — to take responsibility here and now — on how we conduct ourselves, with our own selves and with others, and to fully realize how our choices impact our surroundings, our planet, and all of humanity.
The Power of Doing Good: Think Good, Speak Good, Do Good
The beautiful thing about doing good is that it doesn't matter where you live or what you do for a living; it doesn't even matter how old you are or what cultural group you belong to. Any and every single person can make extraordinary things happen when they use the power of doing good, first for themselves and then letting it ripple out into the world.
Could it really be this simple? Think good, speak good, do good? Well, yes and no. In order for a monumental change to actually take place, a critical mass is required, driven by the energy of goodness and authentic goodwill. Only when an enormous number of people think good, speak good, and do good can we generate an essential and lasting change in the state of humankind.
No More Suffering! Just Say No!
There is so much suffering in the world — poverty, illness, death, destruction. Most of us tend to blame our hardships on something outside of ourselves, something beyond our control. I know I did. Financial situations, breakups, health issues . . . many things we all seem to suffer through at various points in our lives.
Where does suffering really occur? I believe it's in our minds, in our hearts, and in our bodies. However, there comes a day — and for each of us the timing is different — when we say, "No more suffering!"
My day came, my lightbulb lit up, when I realized that my suffering was from within. Really, think about it: Where do you "live"? I know that I live in, and view the world through, what I think and what I feel.
That day, I made the conscious decision, the conscious choice that I did not want to suffer anymore. That was when I started living. That's when I acknowledged that I was creating my suffering, and everything outside of me was just a "learning ground." Everything outside of me was there for me to learn and grow. Only after this realization could I make a conscious decision to be happy, healthy, and at peace.
Yes, the road was long, and I'm still traveling it. But every day is a new awakening. Today, I invite you to choose to stop suffering and to become happy, healthy, and at peace. Find your way — your own unique way — to achieve this goal. Just remember: Do it by doing good.
*subtitles by InnerSelf
©2013 by Arison Creative Ltd. All Rights Reserved,
Reprinted with permission of the publisher, HayHouse.com
Article Source
Activate Your Goodness: Transforming the World Through Doing Good
by Shari Arison.
The unexpected and delightful insight that emerges from the book proves that when you find a way to do good for others, you also do good for yourself. This is a book to share with your loved ones and those who are partners in your desire to create a better world for future generations. Activate your goodness, and discover ways to make your life joyful beyond measure!
Click here for more info or to order this book on Amazon.
About the Author
Shari Arison is the American-Israeli leader of a business and philanthropic empire that spans the globe. In 2011, and again in 2012, she was ranked by Forbes magazine as one of the World's Most Powerful Women, positioning her as a force for good in business and philanthropy. She was also ranked second on Forbes's list of the World's Greenest Billionaires. Activate Your Goodness is a natural complement to her international bestseller, Birth: When the Spiritual and the Material Come Together. Shari is the mother of four and resides in Israel. Please visit Shari's website at: www.shariarison.com. For more information on Good Deeds Day, go to: www.good-deeds-day.org.
