Solidarity
I have always loved the word solidarity. I like what it represents, which to me is a connection through shared experience and/or standing strong together in an opinion or belief. What inspired me to write about it was something so simple, that it reminded me if you are open to it, you can find solidarity everywhere.
I was having a bad morning. It wasn't even 7:00am and things had already taken a turn for the worse. As I was getting ready, I kept thinking "How can I turn this around?" Too often in the past I have let waking up on the wrong side of the bed ruin my whole day. And what is the point? You end up wasting a day being miserable because you set your alarm wrong or spilled water all over your bedside table (or both, in my case).
So what is the key to finding that reset button? I went for a run, which helped a little, got my thoughts clear and my blood pumping. Even after, I still seemed a bit frazzled, but I did manage to make it out of the house dressed and without forgetting anything.
When I got into town, I had to run a few errands, and things were still amiss. I had been down that path enough to know that it was my attitude, not some external factor, that was the problem. So I tried to focus on my perspective rather than my mood, and something great happened.
I talked to a few strangers, a few familiar faces about my morning. It's not going well, I need a pick me up. Instead of judgement or pity, I got smiles and honesty. Some others weren't having a great day either, and we laughed over the small inconveniences that we let trip us up. With some interactions, I simply let myself be open to the possibility of having a pleasant attitude instead of stewing in my disappointment, and got the same in return. I felt lighter.
It got me thinking about the small solidarity that we have as humans in our day to day lives. We all have to wake up at some point and face whatever responsibilities we have for the day, whether that is heading to work, dealing with our household, or even just taking care of ourselves. We will all at some point stub our toes, spill our coffee, forget an appointment, or forget to pick up eggs. We can either choose to let these small mistakes annoy us and get us down, or we can try and find the humor in them, and if nothing else, accept ourselves as imperfect. The simple fact that we exist is enough to bond over, but if you add in even these small shared experiences, it is hard to feel alone. Connection is everywhere.
Anthropologically speaking (as far as I know), humans are programmed to exist in groups. These days, it's even trendy to have a "tribe" of awesome people surrounding you that have each other's backs and tout the same values. My tribe is kind, curious, adventurous, open, silly, active, supportive, and strong. They help me keep my ego in check, my self-esteem high, and my mind always questioning. Without them, I wouldn't be the person I am and I am so grateful for them.
We have seen great examples of solidarity on an international scale lately, like the Woman's March, which saw crowds congregate on all 7 continents; the willingness of some countries to welcome large numbers of refugees as new citizens; and over 100 world leaders agreeing to make a united effort to treat our planet with more respect. Whether it is between two people, or millions, we have the opportunity every day to find camaraderie.
I dare you to share and find solidarity in both the monumental, and the minute. We really are stronger together.
I was having a bad morning. It wasn't even 7:00am and things had already taken a turn for the worse. As I was getting ready, I kept thinking "How can I turn this around?" Too often in the past I have let waking up on the wrong side of the bed ruin my whole day. And what is the point? You end up wasting a day being miserable because you set your alarm wrong or spilled water all over your bedside table (or both, in my case).
So what is the key to finding that reset button? I went for a run, which helped a little, got my thoughts clear and my blood pumping. Even after, I still seemed a bit frazzled, but I did manage to make it out of the house dressed and without forgetting anything.
When I got into town, I had to run a few errands, and things were still amiss. I had been down that path enough to know that it was my attitude, not some external factor, that was the problem. So I tried to focus on my perspective rather than my mood, and something great happened.
I talked to a few strangers, a few familiar faces about my morning. It's not going well, I need a pick me up. Instead of judgement or pity, I got smiles and honesty. Some others weren't having a great day either, and we laughed over the small inconveniences that we let trip us up. With some interactions, I simply let myself be open to the possibility of having a pleasant attitude instead of stewing in my disappointment, and got the same in return. I felt lighter.
It got me thinking about the small solidarity that we have as humans in our day to day lives. We all have to wake up at some point and face whatever responsibilities we have for the day, whether that is heading to work, dealing with our household, or even just taking care of ourselves. We will all at some point stub our toes, spill our coffee, forget an appointment, or forget to pick up eggs. We can either choose to let these small mistakes annoy us and get us down, or we can try and find the humor in them, and if nothing else, accept ourselves as imperfect. The simple fact that we exist is enough to bond over, but if you add in even these small shared experiences, it is hard to feel alone. Connection is everywhere.
Anthropologically speaking (as far as I know), humans are programmed to exist in groups. These days, it's even trendy to have a "tribe" of awesome people surrounding you that have each other's backs and tout the same values. My tribe is kind, curious, adventurous, open, silly, active, supportive, and strong. They help me keep my ego in check, my self-esteem high, and my mind always questioning. Without them, I wouldn't be the person I am and I am so grateful for them.
We have seen great examples of solidarity on an international scale lately, like the Woman's March, which saw crowds congregate on all 7 continents; the willingness of some countries to welcome large numbers of refugees as new citizens; and over 100 world leaders agreeing to make a united effort to treat our planet with more respect. Whether it is between two people, or millions, we have the opportunity every day to find camaraderie.
I dare you to share and find solidarity in both the monumental, and the minute. We really are stronger together.