What can we do to make the world a better place?

That is the question I’ve been exploring since I was ten years old when I saw one of those commercials for sponsoring a child in third world countries. 

I still don’t know the answer. I just know that this is what I want to drive my souls purpose in 2020. This is the foundation behind everything that I do. I believe that we have the power to make this world a better place and we must stand in our power to do what we can. For ourselves, but mostly for the future generations who I hope we are paving the way for. This world must be left better than how I found it. I believe that is my duty, our duty. It must be more inclusive. More understanding of our differences. It must have space for the difficult questions for the exploration of our individuality. You don’t have to agree with one another, but you can treat people with love and kindness, and that can be how we make this world a better place. You as a human being on this Earth have a being-ness that is essential to you. And that something, that is your power to stand in. 

The world can feel like a dark, grim place at times. I stand in love more frequently than not but I absolutely can get disheartened with all the change we are in need of. It feels overwhelming at times.

Like I’m supposed to take care of my body, eat right, heal my emotional trauma, grow my business, meditate, forgive the people who have hurt me, eat organically even though it’s expensive, go trash-free, eliminate my use of plastic, raise a family, learn how to parent, teach them how to be good people while being the best person I can be, volunteer, and make this world a better place.

To name a few. It sometimes feels like really… I’m only awake for 98 hours a week, that’s 14 hours a day and that just does not feel like enough time for all that?! Truth be told, I don’t have a positive spin on this either. I don’t have a pretty little packaged bow to put on the end of this. What I can say is that we start by holding space for ourselves. You can hold space for you, do your part, be the best you you can be, and most importantly, let that be enough. 

My fiance said to me earlier, “you know, when I get disheartened with the world, I look at what you’re doing to make it a better place, and it makes me feel better.” (I know, how sweet, trust me, I cried) And that’s just it. We can all do our part. We can all show-up for ourselves, hold space for our own heart and all that we hold and maybe, if it’s meant to be, that change and betterment that we are, will ripple out into the world. Maybe it will, you will, even impact someone else in your life. 

We can all inspire someone else to do more, be better, stand in their power, step up, and listen more. But we can’t go changing the world if we’re not growing, learning, healing, holding space for ourselves first.

Photographer :: Samuel Elkins