You’re a good person. You’re passionate. You care, dammit. And there are so many causes you can get behind. You can raise awareness. You can protest. You can join a punk band and sing satirical anthems about “the elite”. But… are you really making a difference?
Most forms of activism, unfortunately, are mired in the “pushing against” energy that keeps us perpetuating the problem. And, as we know, if we want to solve a problem, we have to be willing to let it go and focus on a solution. But, what if you don’t want to just sit on a mountain and imagine a better world? Is it possible to be an aligned activist? An inspired-by-your-higher-self activist? An enlightened activist, if you will?
Watch today’s video and find out!
Oh wow you’re just on fire in this one! Now I don’t know if I’m imagining things, but there were parts in the video where I wasn’t entirely sure if I’m listening to Melody or Abraham. There was something about you that was different. It was sort of flickering on and off all through the video.
About the topic itself, I don’t really have anything to add. You don’t change the world by strenghtening the vibration of conflict and discord, but by pulling people up with you. Pulling is always easier than pushing 🙂
I’ve seen that for a while. So glad you can see it too.
I just thought it was because she was a fan of Abrahams/Esters work.
Interesting!
I never really resonated with going out and marching and protesting. I always thought it was because I’d rather go about change more peacefully and quietly. Now I know why! It does feel like we’re pushing against and only focusing on the problem instead of the solution and what we actually want. If I level up to bigger desires such as global peace or something like that, I will definitely keep this in mind.
Hey Melody, loved this video. Just a quick couple of questions… there are a lot of articles these days writing all about the various illnesses in great detail…everywhere you look… is it ok to read them just as a piece of information and try not not focus on them? Or should we avoid reading them altogether…which is nearly next to impossible considering this is just enveloping you from all sides..? Secondly, almost every person has one or more family member ailing… and they always talk about them suffering, how the treatments are not working etc injecting a lot of emotion into their narration. So, what does one do? Esp if it’s a friend? Do I sympathise but try to not get emotionally involved and risk being labelled as heartless ? Or is it ok to show some emotion? Thanks. ????
The thing that struck me about this message is where you say, “Let it be a *creation* rather than something you’re trying to clean up.” And I realized that I really tend to approach myself like that – it’s always “What problem am I going to try to fix now?” or “What bit of resistance am I going to work on next?” One way or another, it’s usually about fixing what’s wrong with me, and I think that negativity subtly pervades everything, even when I don’t consciously notice it.
So it occurred to me to wonder: What would happen if, instead of focusing on where I have issues, I said, “Let’s start over. Suppose that you could go back to square one and create yourself from scratch – what would you like to see? How would you design your ideal self?” And once you do, it’s not a matter of figuring out how you get from here to there – that’s a “means” question that’s best left to the universe. It’s a matter of holding that vision and allowing yourself to morph into it over time, as the opportunity presents itself. So far, it seems like I run into fewer “yeah, buts” when I approach it from this angle.
I have an idea for a wristband that could generate healing light and raise awareness by charging it like a mini hoolahoop on the wrist. Please let me know if there is interest in something like this. Thanks, as always, for being awesome! Peace
Really happy that you chose to do a video on this. It’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. There’s an interesting campaign called “stop the pity” which is challenging stereotypes of Africa and Africans. It works on exactly the lines Melody has outlined above. It promotes seeing them as powerful, creative people who we can help to help themselves rather than seeing them as objects of pity.
On a completely different note, that purple colour is really flattering on you Melody!
I love the ideas you’ve shared, and the example for environmentalism is a great one. I’m a little less clear about how this would work for, say, an abused woman shelter. Of course we want to focus on everyone having safe, happy relationships and safe places to stay, but I’m having trouble seeing how it would function logistically to say that is your goal. For an abused woman shelter, you want a stock of blankets, beds, feminine products, food, whatever, plus anonymity for the women who need that, maybe security support as well. If the goal was “happy relationships” or “safe places to stay,” then wouldn’t people’s focus get too diffused? Wouldn’t they start donating a lot more items that weren’t really on target, like “couples’ night out gift certificates” or doggie beds (because puppies need nice places to stay, too, darnit! 🙂 ) or other things that would help create happier relationships and safe places to stay, but maybe are not high in priority for a woman who has just left an abusive home. Am I too focused on the problem here?
It seems like the focus needs to be more specific at least some of the time in order to meet needs effectively, and when it gets more specific, it tends to at least imply (if not actually reference) the problem. That doesn’t mean we can’t benefit from Melody’s advice–maybe instead of an “abused woman’s shelter” we could run “safe emergency shelters for women”. Instead of saying, “I want to stop domestic abuse,” we could say, “I want every woman to have a safe place, whether that’s at home or at this building.” But even just having “safe places” entails a lot of things that might be hard to implement. What if a woman is unsafe because her neighborhood has stray dogs that bite? Does that mean your safety shelter needs animal handlers or good contacts in animal handling? What if she feels unsafe because she’s been wealthy all her life before and never had to do much for herself, and now she is middle class and needs someone to help her go through a drive-thru or a grocery store or answer the door herself to pick up a package from the UPS dude without freaking out?
Relationships can be unhappy in so many different ways, and people can feel unsafe for so many different reasons. I’m concerned that an organization devoted to “happy relationships” or “safe places for women” would be really unfocused. In trying to handle too many different kinds of things at once, they might be very ineffective. (Of course, maybe there would be synergistic effects that make them MORE effective because they are taking care of such widely different aspects of things. What do you think?)
Yeah, I see your point and agree with you.
I think it’s how we as humans approach problems. The first step is always recognizing it, and that preeetttyy much requires us to focus on it. Our rational minds want to make sense of things… “why did this happen?” and “why do I feel like this?” and “how do you explain this aspect?” etc.
Melody’s perspective is a step ahead… maybe even 2 or 3 steps ahead depending on how many ‘steps’ you personally assign to dealing with life problems.
I see it like this:
1. Identify it
2. Understand it
3. Process it (may involve blame)
—- (these first 3 are where activists are mostly ‘stuck’ in)
4. Make peace with it and/or accept it (involves forgiveness)
5. Solve it and/or move on
Melody is talking about number 5. And although she is right on an individual level (which is, of course, where it all starts), the problem is that COLLECTIVELY things evolve much slower. People together are moving towards a higher vibration, the world is definitely becoming more ‘enlightened’ as technology advances and we share ideas and information, but the reality is that anything that involves a large number of people will naturally progress slower than if it was an individual thing.
However, I gotta point out, that even as individuals lots of people are in the first 3 steps. I know I was when I started on my journey. That’s why these support places are awesome. They *should* be focused… I wouldn’t have been able to understand and gain the knowledge and insight that I did about my life if it wasn’t for the focused search and the places created for exactly those types of problems.
If you think about it, Melody’s advice is also focused, she is focusing on her audience (us) and we are at that point where we can receive it without much, if any, resistance. This is also how many businesses operate. Being niche has tons of advantages.
One more thing, pretty quickly after I made peace with my past problems and I was in the ‘moving on’ stage, I realized how little I felt like being around the support groups I had previously utilized. It’s a shift in energy and those places felt like ‘downers’.
Hey Lisa,
Your cause can be quite specifically focused. You don’t have to diffuse that. It’s the intention that you want to watch – is it about stopping men and women from being abusive, or is it about empowering the “victims”? I’m a huge advocate of getting out of an abusive relationship. Then, work on your energy. And providing women (and men, they can be abused too, but it doesn’t have to be in the same shelter) a safe place to come, to rest, regroup and then become more empowered is a wonderful thing. I would advocate for not seeing them as victims, though. But as powerful beings, so they can begin to get a glimpse of that, too. So, the grand vision becomes empowerment, while the specific focus may be women who are currently in abusive relationships. You could even niche it down further (Muslim or Christian women in abusive relationships, for example, or women in a particular town…). That doesn’t change the grand vision.
Hope that helps to clarify it a bit. 🙂
Huge hugs,
Melody
I totally see what you mean and agree 101%….sometimes I find myself dwelling on complaining..messaging my friends strong texts about this and that, having fun with how much I can swear about what I do not like ..any kind of negative activism on a larger scale is also a way to let personal frustration out ..it starts with good causes and then turns into arguments at politic shows and arenas , in the streets , on the internet..you have got to feel good before starting any activism otherwise the path to making it about a personal outlet is short ..I see it in my small personal experience..this is why I am really dedicated to change things around for myself first , it is good to know how important this is x
Thank you for expanding on this topic–I appreciate your enthusiasm in sharing this video of making a difference.
In the midst of what was transpiring politically several months ago, I wrote out the characteristics and qualities of what I desired in future candidates and elected officials in our government and world. In other words, what I am FOR. I also invited several friends to share what they are FOR politically so we could hold the vision collectively to create higher outcomes, as well as through our inspired actions. Feeling that energetically provides new awakenings and glimmers of light, as we open our heart’s to attract a vision that feels good!
I’ve always stayed away from politics and activism because it just felt suffocating, like the fight is on all the time, and who wants that? I completely agree with you on that oh so simple way to shift our focus: change the names of our causes!!! Every time I go through “Institutes for…” cancer, homelessness, unemployment… I always change the names in my mind: institute for good health, institute for empowerment, institute for life mastery… For me it still triggers fear and I know that’s part of why I don’t like those names, but I also know that that change of focus does A LOT to point our thoughts and emotions in the direction of what we do want to experience.
Where’s the like button?
What a great idea Isabel. I’m doing that from now on. Love it!!!
Melody, if you’ve ever considered using Disqus for your comments, please do get it as it’s a great tool for creating a community here. We get to like each others comments and get notifications of other people’s comments too (as opposed to just emails showing replies only to our own comments).
Thank you Sim! And I love your idea too, I’ve wanted to like quite a few comments here before, LOTS of like minded peeps to show some love to! 🙂
Thank you for the reminder. I remember that Mother Theresa believed in pro peace, not anti war. I do get very upset about all the hurt in the world and it does feel overwhelming. I need to visulise more of what I want and not rage against it. But when you know that there is suffering right now, right now. It’s difficult. But I do agree with you.
Hi Melody, I followed you for 2 years now.
I would like to tell you, that you are wonderful person.
I love how you shine clarity on me. Thank you darling.
Hi Melody! Thanks for all your daily beautifull video’s! But there is a problem with your announce that the kindle version of your book is on sale now on Amazon. I tried every day to find this book to find on Amazon (.com, .de, .fr …), but it always stays around the price of $10 and not the promissed $2.99 ! What is going wrong there?
So much love!
Hey Ster,
Apparently, you can buy it off Amazon.com, even if you’re in a different country. Another reader let me know that. So try that. 🙂
Hugs,
Melody
Like Melody said, go to Amazon.com first, then search for “Deliberate Receiving”, and it should pop right up for the $2.99. The physical copy is still $10, but the Kindle version is as of right now $2.99. Make sure you looking at the right format. Hope that helped!
I love the one about songs against the ‘elite’. Like you said most activism is coming from a energetic space that might not be ‘ideal’ in that there is that fight ‘against’ something. I guess it is kind of the same thing when people try to help others from a space of thinking they can’t help themselves and someone must step in on their behalf–they mean well but it is actually contributing to the problem. I guess you have to start somewhere. It is so easy to get caught up in all that energy and approaching these issues from that more enlightened space can be a process and it is a great way to explore our own energy around so many things.