Keep Calm and Show Compassion

Written By: Nicoli Alexander

If you spent even 5 minutes watching the news, listening to NPR, or on social media, you would be led to believe that our world is falling apart. (...Maybe it is?)  Our media would have you believing that our world is literally tearing apart at the seams. (...Sure seems that way) They spread messages of hate, intolerance, misinformation, fear, and injustice.  Even if you are aware of the role mass media plays in our society, it is really easy to become influenced by the message.

While we would all like to believe we are unique individuals, making our own decisions. The truth is that whether we realize it or not, we are all influenced by the media every day.  We spend our time posting articles, scrolling through social media posts, tweeting, talking about the news with our friends.  We often let the tone of the media affect our daily lives, and how we interact with the world around us.  The media is aware of this behavior.  If you say something enough times, people will start thinking it is true.

Over the last year we were all flooded with campaign messages telling us that the world is a more dangerous place than ever.  While this may be true for many millions of people around the world, we also need to take a step back and analyze the role that we play in creating this dangerous world. What can we do as individuals to affect change?

This is a question that I often struggle with.  At 18 years old I went out in the world and I truly believed that it was a wonderful place, and that people were nice, and that if you worked really hard you could have anything you put your mind to.  Now I find myself looking out at the world and I am left paralyzed by the enormity of issues the human race has created; World hunger, terrorism, greed, power, climate change, the military industrial complex, black lives matter, pharmaceutical companies, national security, the economy, human trafficking, equal rights, injustice, the very state of our democracy (republic), and the list could literally go on for pages.

Every single one of these issues is important.  If you are anything like me, you look out at all of these problems and you don’t even know where to start.  It is easier to do nothing and just focus on your own family, than it is to go out into uncharted territory and spend all of your time focusing on the world’s problems.

Photo taken the night of the election in front of the White House

I had a turning point this last year that helped me to find a sense of direction.  In November, I had the opportunity to shadow the leader of the presidential transition team.  I spent 3 days with the team in Washington D.C.  I also happened to be with the team on election night.  My first impressions the night before the election were all positive.  I was feeling such a renewed sense of hope, and had never felt better about the direction of my life.  All of that changed in an instant on the morning after the election.  I went from standing on top of a mountain, to months of feeling like I was buried 6 feet under. Everything I stood for as a human being was being attacked; My life, my love, my job, my healthcare, my education, my friends, my family, and the country that I love so much. The only thing I could think to do was to go radio silent. I stopped reading articles, turned off the TV, stopped getting onto social media, turned off NPR, silenced all news alerts on my phone, and absolutely refused to talk to anyone about it.  It was one of the most depressing times of my life.  I felt like the weight of the world was on my shoulders.

What happened next was something I never expected.  My decision to retreat from the media was the healthiest choice I could have made at the time.  After a few months of feeling down, I started to have the most beautiful and life affirming realizations.  I realized I was letting the world dictate my emotions.  I was letting the media influence my actions.  I was limiting my potential because the world was telling me there were too many problems and it was easier to stick your head in the sand than face them head on.  (Pardon my French) But I woke the fuck up.

The realization that kept coming to the surface for me was that we are all born with the ability to have compassion for one another.  Through our own life experiences, many of us lose touch with this part of our humanity.  We begin placing ourselves into boxes, and then in turn we do the same to everything and everyone around us. The truth is that the human race would not exist without our ability to have empathy and compassion for one another.  We have survived for thousands of years because we work as a community to feed one another, to pass down knowledge, to create connection and build cities.  When we lose touch with our sense of compassion, all we are left with anger and fear.

Through no fault of my own, I have many times been on the receiving end of people’s anger and fear.  Those experiences have taught me the importance of empathy and compassion, and have made me a stronger person. These realizations have given me a renewed sense of purpose.  I was born a little softer than other men, a little gentler than most people you meet.  What a gift it is to be able to tap into these emotions at a time when the world needs it the most.  Many of the issues we face today can be solved by having more compassion for each other.  We can start by taking the time to listen to each other, instead of expecting the world to be a perfect reflection of our own ideals.  None of us need to be exactly the same, but we also do not need to spend all of our time focusing on how different we are. The common bond we all share is our ability to keep calm and show compassion.

You were born to be a unique light in this world. Do not let the darkness of the world dim your light my loves. The world needs you now more than ever.

Feeling inspired?  Check out the work that our friends Compassion It are up to.  You can donate at http://compassionit.com/donate/ 

Be well my friends.

~ Nicoli Alexander