Did you witness the reaction of William Shatner going into space recently? His appreciation of our planet made many of us think about loving our world a lot more. This, of course, should include the people who inhabit it.
From space, Captain Kirk was moved by how fragile Earth really appears. It’s all we’ve got. So how do we support life here and cherish it?
Taking stress off our societies around the globe, from many perspectives, calls for every person to exhibit kindness. A noble approach toward people, the environment, international relations and loving our own families will move things in a better direction.
So what does noble behavior require? What can individuals do to impact the future in a positive way?
These tips can help:
— Pay attention to how you treat everyone, even your worst enemies. Reacting in a reasonable way and reacting in an ugly way are not the same. Think, act and speak with dignity, regardless of the circumstances. Self-control is a powerful tool.
— Find some good in every person you meet. When appropriate, verbalize this to other people. Many people spend their entire life never receiving any kindness.
— Believe the best about others. If they are doing wrong, this will eventually come out. Send out good vibes whenever possible. This helps keep things calm in your world.
— Join organizations that enhance your corner of the world. Find nonprofits and volunteer groups to assist. Giving of yourself helps push the world in the right direction.
— Don’t try to do too much. That’s a good way to get tired and give up. Recycle, donate money, and volunteer to a reasonable degree. If you over-help, you’ll get tired and quit.
“I was shocked when I met Russian families a long time ago,” says a business owner we’ll call Vicky. “I grew up during the Cold War. I thought all Russians were our enemies. How wrong! These families were just like my family. I now encourage my children to have at least three pen pals each all over the globe. They write handwritten letters. We need to build a global community, so we can share good ideas for living better.”
“It’s normal for politicians and leaders to have differences,” says a government adviser we’ll call Richard. “But ordinary people should reach out across cultures to unite people on a very personal level. Mental health is easier to achieve if you feel bonded with lots of people.”
Richard is right. Having just one or two friends is not enough. We all need a larger group of people we can call on during stressful times.
Psychologists say when we have just a few people for support, it places those people under too much stress. We can tend to lean on them too heavily.
“When I developed a complicated illness, I had many people to lean on,” says a restaurant owner we’ll call Sharon. “It took stress off my husband and other family members when my nurse friends all stepped up to offer advice, rides to appointments and physical help with many issues.”
We all build a supportive network through good deeds we “deposit” into other people’s emotional bank accounts. Likewise, when governments around the world offer support for each other, this takes the edge off potential conflicts.
“Speak words that unite your family with others, your business with other businesses, and our country with other allies,” says a government diplomat we’ll call Sterling. “Words really do carry a spiritual tone. If you don’t believe this, just think back to an event when a family member expressed love. The feeling penetrated your entire being. Words can linger for decades.”
