Tuesday, 12th January 2016 (North Side, Anguilla) — We are now in the second week of the month of January which marks, for most of us, the beginning of another yearly cycle. I am wondering what changes 2016 will bring forth. Will this be a healthy New Year or a repeat of the past twelve months?
Opening doors of opportunity
Each of us has the capacity during any time of year to open doors of opportunity and make a change we deem appropriate to move ourselves, families, communities, businesses, organisations and nations forward. Nonetheless, it is up to us individually as well as collectively to take the necessary steps to make these changes happen. The transformations that we desire don’t just materialise by themselves. We must be the Change Agents responsible for working along with The Most High’s Divine Plan to bring forth whatever we wish to manifest in our lives.
Now I know that change does not come easily, and oftentimes we are resistant to changing. It’s hard work to change old habits and create new perspectives that will positively lead us to higher heights. Nevertheless, I am an advocate of doing the necessary self-work to be the perfect image that God created all of us to be.
Change or remain the same
During my recent holiday travels, and upon my return to island, I’ve closely observed the behaviour of others, and how our lives and systems can become stagnant or not progress. The lack of progression or stagnation can at times be due to our not wanting to change how we do things or how we view what happens in life. In the past, we’ve all had periods where we’ve been stuck in a rut refusing to make the necessary changes that are required to move forward. Yet for me, personally, the Great Spirit has always pushed me towards changing. We can choose to be pro-active, embracing the changes that are presented to us whenever they appear, and make the best of any situation or we can resist the changes and create more havoc or chaos in our lives.
Embracing change doesn’t mean that the mind’s ego quietly accepts the change. Ego has a way of chattering non-stop trying to convince us that we should stay the same. However, if we listen clearly, our inner spirit’s guide will always direct us towards accepting the changes that occur in life.
When we’re going through changes we thrive better by allowing the emotions to arise and be released into the atmosphere. Yet we don’t wallow in what we’re feeling at that particular moment. Basically, we let any uncomfortable feelings rise up, examine them briefly from the viewpoint of an observer and then release them to be dispensed and evaporate into the ethers of the universe. In this way, we don’t hold onto negative emotions and we can embrace the change more easefully.
Observing how we operate
As we bear witness to what is happening in people’s lives and make observations of the things that are occurring in our small and larger communities, great nations and various organisations across the globe, we recognise how stuck we can become in holding onto past habits and ways of living that are not conducive to moving us positively forward in our lives. Acting in this manner is detrimental to our being well and to our accepting wholeness as the best way for us to live as souls in human form.
When we continue to put the same persons in key positions that are supposed to promote change, we don’t allow individuals who may be younger, more vibrant or have a different perspective, to step in and help push forward the positive changes needed. Sometimes we start projects, programmes and events and then let personalities and politics get involved, so that what was or could have been powerful Change Agents to help move ourselves, communities and nations forward cease to exist.
The question we might want to ask ourselves is, “Why are we so resistant to change, to new ideas and to new people coming on board, or to continuing smaller annual events that take time for growth and development, and which may ultimately not have as big a financial impact as we would like to achieve?”
The bigger picture
Our inability to see the bigger picture that surrounds such matters as public healthcare service improvements and promotion of the literary arts, culture and music causes us to believe that money invested in these programmes isn’t worthwhile. Sometimes it isn’t always the bottom line of finances that is most important. Rather, there are other factors involved. It’s really the efforts to bring forth positive changes, and to do something entirely different from what we are accustomed to doing, which are the key ingredients.
So we need to encourage diversity and creativity allowing young people, middle aged or elder adults the opportunities to expand, share their skills and knowledge, and not repeatedly keep putting the same persons to serve in a limited number of private and public sector positions available in the Anguilla community. We really need to consider doing things differently in 2016 if we want to move progressively forward.
As for myself, I have found creative ways to share my expertise and that is by writing opinion-editorials for our local newspaper, sharing my wit and wisdom via social media, and co-creating/facilitating gender awareness projects with colleagues that incorporate a mission focussed on empowering youths, women and men.
Shining light and moving forward
We all need to speak out and voice our opinions on what we see happening throughout our small island community and globally in other countries. Perhaps we could embrace a forward thinking, positive movement motto like: “Be consciously mindful. Act respectfully. Speak the truth always. Be responsible for our own actions.”
Each one of us must be the Shining Lights and Change Agents that are required to change our world. We are all responsible for creating the avenues to become better human beings in the sight of the Almighty Creator. So for 2016, and forward, may we all envision ourselves to be the loving, kind and caring souls who perform positive actions to move ourselves, our families and our communities forward to greater heights. Wishing everyone a healthy, blessed and love filled New Year!
Kay M. Ferguson, who writes under the nom de plume Empress Extraordinaire, is a free-spirited writer who composes word sounds to inspire and uplift humanity. She is passionate about sharing her reflective contemplations on various subjects raising conscious awareness in the Anguilla community and globally. To link with Kay, send an email to anguillawriter@gmail.com or “i-nect” via social media at www.facebook.com/kaymferguson.
