Lift Up, Not Down

Our world is in a state of chaos.

​There is no denying it. Every direction you turn right now, we are faced with upset, turmoil and often issues that are too big for us to take on alone.

​One aspect of my work tends to be a total drain psychologically.  My work thrives on social media, as a mobile retreat house. There is no way to turn a blind eye to the events going on in the world, as hard as one tries to do so.

As I read and hear about the daily news of the world, I ask myself daily, ‘How can I be a positive force in the chaos?’ The answer is simple; lift up, not down.

I can’t tell you how many times I will read a status on social media that has only negativity in its statement with no real purpose, other than to be harmful. People post or share without thought. Worse, we are putting information out there with no real sources. There are better ways to make your mark in a difficult situation. Lift up, not down.

You can be that voice that voice of positivity. Take a moment every day to counteract the negative that is around you with a positive word, a compliment or just a smile to a stranger passing by. Life up,These days, we attack each other too easily, to make ourselves feel better. Or, worse, we want to be right in a situation that offers many outcomes. We share our opinions, when they are not asked of us, to build our ego. And, we put down the person we don’t know, just because we may disagree with them. Lift up, not down.

Why can’t we stand side by side with someone opening the same business and celebrate that each of us took a risk? Why must we compare, criticize and condemn the competitor, neighbor or one that is different? Lift up, not down.

It has never been truer today that we must stop the incessant gossip. We must stop talking bad about others. We must stop being the negative voice in the world. Lift up, not down.

There is no room for hatred. There is no room for bad talking. There is no room for the person who cannot speak words of kindness, but only of hate. Lift up, not down.

I am tired of just standing by and not using my voice to protect the attacked, because of my own fears. I need to take a chance. You need to take a chance. We need to lift up, down.
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We must be the love. We must be the change. We must come together and change our world for the better. It does no one any good to be a voice of descent. Lift up, not down.

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