This thought-provoking post comes from Kate, the woman behind The Holistic Nomad, a travel and holistic lifestyle blog.

Why Making the World a Better Place Begins With You

We live in chaotic times, where corruption, war, violence, oppression, environmental destruction, widespread poverty and corporate greed are considered the norm. In fact, if you look back through history, this is a recurring theme.

Unfortunately, many people accept this as “just the way things are.” They say our world is flawed because we, as humans, are flawed. They maintain that it’s simply “human nature.” But I disagree.

I believe the declining health of our world is an indication that we have moved away from a heart-centered manner of living.

We are conditioned to believe we are separate. We are fooled into thinking resources are scarce – that there is not enough to go around – and thus, we are driven to view life as a competition. “If you’re not first, you’re last.” Society propagates this divisiveness, this self-serving mentality. We are taught to build up walls – both literally and figuratively – to hoard possessions, to place emphasis on externalities instead of what truly matters.

We are expected to follow the status quo, to accumulate material wealth and social status, rather than spiritual wealth and meaningful experiences. We seek big pay checks, fancy cars and approval from others to validate our existence because we have forgotten that we are all interconnected, that we are all a part of something greater.

But what if things could be different?

Well, guess what? They can. It all starts with us.

Is it overly idealistic to envision a world in which peace is the norm? Where love reigns supreme, environmental stewardship trumps corporate greed and humanity lives in harmony with one another and the earth? Some people may argue that this will never happen, but I think it could.

The state of our world is but a reflection of our inner landscape.

In order for change to occur, it must be preceded by a shift in mindset. Though it may sound cliché, we must embody the qualities we hope to see manifested – we must be the change we wish to see in the world. We must trade in the tired, old paradigms for a fresh perspective. We must seek first to know the truth and then to live it.

While travel tends to shed light on the cruel injustices of the world, it also provides a glimpse into the commonalities shared by humanity, regardless of cultural background.

My own experiences have restored my faith in the inherent goodness of others and underscored the blissful feeling of connectedness.

Ultimately, we are all human. We are all in this together. Let’s start acting like it.

We must remember that every thought, word and action contributes to either the destruction or the rebuilding of civilization. Let’s band together for the common good of all life on this planet. Imagine what remarkable things a society based on love, compassion, unity and growth could accomplish.

Thanks for reading!

Hannah and Taran here. We hail from Southern England, where we met online and are now realizing our mutual passion for travel here at Nomad'erHowFar. We discuss Nomadic Living, Simplifying your Life and Long-term Travel, to empower, motivate and inspire our readers. Get to know us here!

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