Change and Matter. Continuing a theme that I have been reading a lot about and thinking a lot about: Does what we do matter? Whether it is in our jobs, our families, or our friendships...or in our communities, does what we do matter?
I say YES! So why for example did only about 25% of the possible voters -vote?
While I think it can be for many reasons, I do think that it can be narrowed down for most of us to just a couple...or maybe a few. I am sure that I am not the only one who has struggled with, "Why vote?", "My vote won't matter".
I think sometimes we get caught up thinking more individually. Somewhere over time we stop thinking about we-as in our communities or our sphere of influence and just think about our 'lone' self. Not to say that we are being selfish. Just that we have begun living in more isolation. This of course ties into our social media and technology and all of our gadgets, but while we have a couple hundred friends on Facebook we might not have very many we can really connect with.
I kind of knew that my 1 vote or that my husband’s 1 vote, would not necessarily swing the result, but I felt like we needed to vote out of the principle that we have the right to. I also felt like if more of us stepped up and decided that our vote did matter....they would start to matter.
I think somehow this relates to our life and change. I know I do this, I want something to be different in my life and then when it comes time to implement this change, I don't do it. Why?
Well, of course it depends on what the issue was and what doubts and fears it triggers for me. Most often everything stems from insecurities. Why bother, it won't work anyway. Why spend the energy, it won't matter. I feel like often it comes back to those two statements.
The real question is, "Who says", that it won't matter or that it won't work, why bother? And why should we listen to those folks....or in my case...why should I listen to my own thoughts and doubts?
I feel like I am constantly having to remind myself that what I am and what I do and what I say does matter, does impact myself and those around me. And while I am starting to get this for myself and my family, why have I not included our society? Why do most of us think that we can't make a difference in our communities?
Yet we love a feel good movie about this very thing! I think we do want to believe that what we do and say matters. We just need courage to step out and act. Even in simple things like Vote.
I have moved a lot and in the past I let that hinder me from actually getting out there and voting and recently I have felt compelled to vote-no matter the inconvenience.
To me these topics are interrelated. Change and belief that we matter. I think it comes down to hope. If I don't have hope that the future could be different then it is easy to fall back on doubt and fear: to fall back on, "Why bother", "won't matter", etc.
Have hope folks! I know that as long as I continue to look to the Lord and have faith that He is carrying me, it makes it much easier for me to step out and believe.
What are your thoughts? What areas could you step out in? I am taking a huge step in starting this Blog-and I think that there are more leaps coming!
Blessings!
Shannon
I say YES! So why for example did only about 25% of the possible voters -vote?
While I think it can be for many reasons, I do think that it can be narrowed down for most of us to just a couple...or maybe a few. I am sure that I am not the only one who has struggled with, "Why vote?", "My vote won't matter".
I think sometimes we get caught up thinking more individually. Somewhere over time we stop thinking about we-as in our communities or our sphere of influence and just think about our 'lone' self. Not to say that we are being selfish. Just that we have begun living in more isolation. This of course ties into our social media and technology and all of our gadgets, but while we have a couple hundred friends on Facebook we might not have very many we can really connect with.
I kind of knew that my 1 vote or that my husband’s 1 vote, would not necessarily swing the result, but I felt like we needed to vote out of the principle that we have the right to. I also felt like if more of us stepped up and decided that our vote did matter....they would start to matter.
I think somehow this relates to our life and change. I know I do this, I want something to be different in my life and then when it comes time to implement this change, I don't do it. Why?
Well, of course it depends on what the issue was and what doubts and fears it triggers for me. Most often everything stems from insecurities. Why bother, it won't work anyway. Why spend the energy, it won't matter. I feel like often it comes back to those two statements.
The real question is, "Who says", that it won't matter or that it won't work, why bother? And why should we listen to those folks....or in my case...why should I listen to my own thoughts and doubts?
I feel like I am constantly having to remind myself that what I am and what I do and what I say does matter, does impact myself and those around me. And while I am starting to get this for myself and my family, why have I not included our society? Why do most of us think that we can't make a difference in our communities?
Yet we love a feel good movie about this very thing! I think we do want to believe that what we do and say matters. We just need courage to step out and act. Even in simple things like Vote.
I have moved a lot and in the past I let that hinder me from actually getting out there and voting and recently I have felt compelled to vote-no matter the inconvenience.
To me these topics are interrelated. Change and belief that we matter. I think it comes down to hope. If I don't have hope that the future could be different then it is easy to fall back on doubt and fear: to fall back on, "Why bother", "won't matter", etc.
Have hope folks! I know that as long as I continue to look to the Lord and have faith that He is carrying me, it makes it much easier for me to step out and believe.
What are your thoughts? What areas could you step out in? I am taking a huge step in starting this Blog-and I think that there are more leaps coming!
Blessings!
Shannon
