From your center within

Imagining a healthy world

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When you imagine an ideal healthy world for human beings and all who inhabit the earth, what do you envision? I recently had an amazing conversation with my adult daughter sharing our visions for a flourishing mind-body-heart and planet. We were spending time in nature over Memorial Day weekend and could feel our physical, mental, and emotional health attune to the balanced beauty we were immersed in.
As a holistic health coach, I find great value envisioning what positive outcomes we are seeking personally and collectively. When a client comes to see me, they are often experiencing dissatisfaction with an area in their life. We take time to explore where they are now, where they want to be, and next steps to get there. What actions and systems would fully support thriving for every human being and the planet? I have been dreaming up possible answers to that question.
I imagine a world where every child born is celebrated as a sprouting seed with awe and wonder. Each child’s gifts, talents, passions, and inherent uniqueness is honored and cultivated throughout childhood. All systems, from families, to communities, to governments, to food, to commerce, to education, to healthcare are set up to support each child’s full blossoming.
As adults, every person adds to the well-being of all life from their fully realized potential. At each stage of life, people live from their genius in sync with the natural rhythm of aging in ever-changing balance and flow. Every person is respected and cherished. I imagine each human being as an instrument in the orchestra of humanity. I envision each person caring tenderly for their sacred vessel, their mind-body-heart. Self-sabotaging and violence no longer occur. Every person finds joy in sharing the sound from their instrument, their distinctive expression into the world. The dying process is supported with dignity and choice, celebrating each person’s legacy.
Resources are abundant and are utilized efficiently, moving with ease to support what is needed anywhere on the planet. Waste is minimal. Greed and over consumption are no longer desirable as the false narrative of scarcity or “I can never have enough” doesn’t exist. The top priority of what is created, invented, and distributed is enhancing living cells. All choices in every system utilize this principle as their guiding vision. Food laced with unhealthy chemicals and additives doesn’t exist. The production and consumption of energy does not cause pollution. All systems that poison living cells have been replaced with processes supporting health and well-being.
The planet is healthy. The fundamental determinants of health are the natural systems that make the earth livable and are the source of our air, water, food, fuels, and materials. Every person understands we are one ecosystem interconnected to all living cells on the planet. We live in rhythm with the cycles of the seasons. We stop extracting the earth’s vital resources for excessive utilization and dumping toxins. Innovation and technology continuously make new discoveries that support a healthy planet.
This vision may seem like a ridiculous unattainable utopia. We will certainly not choose a collective dream that “everyone and everything count” from the mindset of lack, oppression, greed, and entitlement that has informed many unhealthy choices. I ascribe to the benefit of “Begin with the end in mind,” the second of the seven habits of highly effective people from Dr. Stephen R. Covey. The habit is based on the principle that all things are created twice: once in one’s imagination and once in the physical world.
What can you do to positively contribute to a healthier mind-body-heart, community, and world? Spend time visualizing in your own mind what health and well-being entails. What behaviors, choices, and actions would support your ideas? In addition, engage in courageous conversations on challenging unhealthy systems and choices. (See March 17 edition of the Southwest Connector for more tips on courageous conversations). Collaborate with others co-creating a healthier future.
Your voice counts.
We are the ones we have been waiting for.

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