03 Sep There’s power in insignificance
Do you worry about the world?
Do you feel out of control? Small and insignificant? Powerless to change the course of all the many forces of change (or lack of change)?
I do. Often!
And more often than not these worries and ruminations create, in me, even stronger feelings of depression; which can then lead to helplessness and hopelessness.
But what if being insignificant and having little control were actually a good thing? At least, what if it could be reframed in a positive way?
Because it can be!
I’m just one of (approximately) 8 billion people in this world. Can I control or even slightly influence them all? Obviously not.
My life is impacted, to a greater or lesser extent, by politicians, wealthy and powerful business people, weather events and possibly even the random fluttering of a butterfly’s wings on the other side of the globe! Do I have any control over these people or events? No.
The secret lies, however, in realising that my lack of control can be freeing; if I accept this reality, and all that comes with it, I can (possibly) life without all the expectations and pressures I often put on myself.
Writing all this out reminds me of the Buddhist concepts of acceptance and non-attachment, notions so many have found so helpful for so many years.
And therein lies the power of insignificance. There’s nothing I can do about so much (but there are things I can do about some aspects of my life), I don’t matter (in the bigger picture but I do matter in my small part of the world).