How optimistic do you feel about humanity right now? Because there are many conflicts and problems in the world, you might feel a little worried. There are indeed some critical issues that humans need to overcome. Nevertheless, I feel a great sense of hope for the future of humanity. Historically, times of turmoil often lead to revolutions that ultimately improve people's lives. As I see it, humanity is just reorganizing and renewing itself: old ways of thinking are being challenged, old prejudices are being discarded, and new ways of living are being considered.
Of course, this is not easy and comes with difficult growing pains. The only real question is whether we will follow the darkness of fear or the light of love in response to these changes. For most of human history, our lives have been burdened by competition and conflict in pursuit of survival, but now, there is no longer any reason to behave this way. We now have the opportunity to choose peace, harmony, and cooperation. A
new humanity is ready to be born. Whether or not it will be born healthily depends on everyone’s individual choices.
If you would like to help birth a beautiful new humanity, here is what I recommend:
- 1) Keep a hopeful, positive mind. Change is often difficult and uncomfortable, and sometimes, the way forward is unclear. This naturally leads to a sense of anxiety about the future and a sense of pessimism about human society. Although a changing world offers many opportunities for positive change, it can also bring out the worst in people if they feel fearful or threatened in some way. For that reason, it is important to keep one’s own fear in check while also having compassion for those who may be acting out in fear. Do your best to assure them and yourself that a better world is on the way if we choose it.
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2) Visualize a better world and a new humanity. While it is wise to be aware of current events in the news, don’t let that dominate your perception of humanity. First, there are many acts of generosity and goodness that never make the news. Most people want a world that is peaceful and harmonious. Therefore, it is essential to always keep a clear visualization of a peaceful world in your mind. Ideally, include such visualization as part of a meditation practice.
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3) Connect with and develop your divinity. You are fundamentally a divine being. Because the human world constantly focuses on pursuing material success and power, it can be easy to forget this basic truth. Your soul is your true self and the only part of you that will continue past this temporary life. Your soul is the part of you that knows the truth beyond the greed and selfishness of this world. If the human world is to transcend its current difficulties, more and more people need to connect to this higher part of themselves. While you can’t make this choice for other people, you can make this choice for yourself, and then the beauty of that choice will also be apparent to everyone else.
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4) Recognize your connection with the Earth and all her creations. Life in these physical bodies gives us the impression that we are separate from other people and the plants and animals surrounding us. But this is just an illusion. We are all inextricably linked to other people, to the earth, and to all of creation. Acknowledging this reality is key to making better choices for ourselves, other people, and the earth.
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5) Pay attention to all your choices. Since we are connected to all other living things, every decision we make matters. It may seem like little things that we do make no difference, but that is not the case. Every little thing we do makes a difference. Will you smile at the cashier or be glum and impersonal? Will you eat healthy foods that are sustainable on the planet or go the easy fast-food route? Will you wake up 15 minutes early for meditation practice or sleep in? All these choices matter. Of course, you don’t have to be perfect in your choices; you should always be forgiving and gentle with yourself. The important thing is to be aware of your choices and make the best decision possible at any given moment.
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6) Rebirth yourself and become your own best parent. At the beginning of 2024, I declared that I was reborn at the stroke of midnight. Renewal and rebirth of this sort are important to do often in your life. If you have had failures or negative experiences in the past that weigh you down, make a point of letting those go to become a new version of yourself. If bad habits have led to poor health or lack of achievement, visualize yourself as a whole new kind of person. And once you are reborn, parent yourself gently. No parent expects their child to be perfect and to know everything from birth, so guide yourself with kindness so that you can become a fuller version of yourself little by little and day by day.
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7) Devote yourself to your own personal growth. In the human world, people often focus on specific accomplishments as the goal of living—becoming rich, getting educated, finding fame, etc. These goals are fine, but that’s not really what your life is about. Rather, the point of life is to grow your soul. So, as you work toward these kinds of accomplishments, focus more on what kind of growth they can offer you during the process of achievement.
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8) Use your imagination to create a new human culture. To create a better world, we have to create a better culture. We need creative people to create things that will bring out the best in people and develop positive character and value systems. This could mean the creative arts, such as paintings, movies, websites, books, and so forth. But it can mean much more than this. It can also be in the way you run a business in a more positive way or in the kind and thoughtful way you treat employees. Or you could develop a new way of relating to family members or to friends. Everything in our day-to-day life is part of our culture, so think about how these things can be transformed to create a more soul-centered world.
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9) Become a source of healing for yourself and others. The way you relate and interact with others says much about the condition of your soul. If you understand that you are connected to everyone, being unkind or impatient with others means you are also not treating yourself well either. Rather than diminishing those around you with your judgments, give them upliftment in any way you can, always remembering that they possess a divine soul, too, no matter how imperfect they may seem.
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10) Identify yourself as, first and foremost, an Earth Citizen. For many millennia, people have lived in their separate cities, nations, and tribes, developing their own cultures and their own sense of self. Thanks to our travel and communication technologies, the world is not like this anymore. Yes, we can still celebrate our own individual cultures and nationalities, but really, we are already one connected culture. It is time to determine what this collective human culture will be like. Since we must now take the entire earth into account, we must begin to identify ourselves as Earth Citizens—creatures who are all completely dependent upon this one single planet.
There is no question in my mind that the world is changing dramatically. We cannot go backward and be what we were 50, 100, or a thousand years ago. So, we are an extraordinary generation. We’re the ones who get to decide what this globalized world will look like. We are the ones who must figure out how humans can live in harmony with each other and with the earth. We have a precious chance to let the best aspects of human divinity shine upon this earth, so let’s do that now.