several years back (more than several…) I had the opportunity to join a friend in a small setting in denver to listen to john hickenlooper promote tech incubator, galvanize – he was a big fan…(I assume he still is?)
the point of this post is not about tech incubators or galvanize, or promoting small business – even though I find myself oddly attracted to all of that…
the point is what I said to him…and more, what he said in return.
as the cool, well-liked governor of colorado was leaving the event, he walked right by me. In my non thinking state of ‘what do you say to a popular political figure when you are eye to eye’…I said (in a self promoting and righteous way) – “what are you doing about the suicide rate? do you know what is happening in schools?”
he looked back at me (and we are in a casual, bar/coffee shop setting)…with a ‘that’s all you got’ and slightly pissed but ‘I’ve been here before’ look on his face, he responded, ‘what are you doing about it?”
point = hickenlooper
It’s interesting, because in a more thoughtful, non-reacting-due-to-environment-setting, I would have been the first to say something to the effect of ‘those in glass houses…cast stones..etc.’
Interesting how quickly we can assume certain roles and stereotypes…
I’ll share one more recent experience and then I’ll see if I can tie the two together.
at yoga practice a few evenings ago, the teacher/facilitator began with a story – as they always do. he referenced his instagram viewing and how he tends to pay attention to mostly posts of animals. he then asked if we knew what a instagram influencer was…gave a brief definition for those who weren’t familiar…and then said that he didn’t know animals could also be influencers. his point was that we can often be so close to something that it’s hard to see it through a different lens and that sometimes we need to intentionally take a step back and view things from a broader point of view.
simple connection, huh?
sometimes we can be so close to something, and maybe even reference the ‘something’ as a ‘passion’.
In that well-intentioned and well-meaning state (passion), we may become so driven and so passionate that we don’t even realize we are stuck pushing against something – pushing against a political platform, pushing against an entity or a system, pushing against a lifestyle, etc.
pushing against is pushing against just like hate is hate.
when in a state or attitude of pushing against, one is not in a state or attitude of being pulled toward. I think passion in its rawest sense is being pulled toward a ‘goal’, a project, or an expansive, life-giving outcome – getting results that can sustain themselves and move in the direction of continued growth or progress.
when we get caught up in what feels like the ‘hamster wheel’ or the ‘treadmill’ effect, we are most likely stuck in a subtle state of ongoing resistance, or pushing against – this often can show up when it comes to change or disruption – disruption of what is familiar or what one thought to be certain and/or expected.
I’m calling myself out in this post. I realized over the last school year that I have been pushing hard against the school system. It’s so non specific, as far as I’m not pointing toward a human, that it’s easy to get caught up in a self-promoting or self-righteous state under the influence of good intention.
there is no other. when I assume someone or something else is the root cause or the problem – and when I need that ‘other’ to change in order for me to have different results or better outcomes…that is giving away my personal power (often resulting in a state or feeling of being powerless: super uncomfortable state…triggers stress response…can contribute to our day to day existence unintentionally being experienced in a low level state of reactivity which can eventually make us sick or lead to other unwanted outcomes).
when we are pushing against or pointing at a problem, we aren’t in the space of the solution or the aligned path.
are you pointing a finger? pushing against?
no one needs to know. see if you can be open to developing a curious mindset. what can you soften? what can you shift?
day. 