Love Trumps All

3 ways to develop your leadership skills in a nation torn apart

Seek to hear the words of those with opinions different from your own

Listen without judgment

Listen without intent to change or challenge

Listen for common values

Ask questions to find what you have in common

If you live in a city, seek out the voice of those in rural communities

If you live in the country, seek out the voice of those in cities

Listen by learning about views you do not agree with by getting out of your media silo.

Develop your capacity to listen

Trust in your capacity to listen

Trust that wisdom will grow in you

Caveat: Listening does not mean allowing yourself to be yelled at or treated badly.

(allowing that is not wisdom)

Be Kind

Every action has a ripple effect

(Buy the person behind you in line a cup of coffee – one of the favorites)

Commit random acts of kindness

Invite your neighbor to tea or coffee, or bring them cookies

Commit not so random acts of kindness

Give someone you do not like a gift

Praise someone you love, do it often and honestly

Say something nice about someone you have a grudge against (and mean it)

To yourself be kind

Say nice things to yourself about yourself everyday

When you say something negative about yourself, catch it & counter it

Feeling love for yourself counts as an act of kindness

Contemplate your goodness

Stop and drop into the goodness of you

This too has a ripple effect

Be the Change You Want to

See

Be the change you want to see without trying to change others

What you resist persistsC.G. Jung

Take action for what you do want, not what you do not want

Get involved in local politics

Search online “how to get involved local politics (name of your city or area”)

Sign up (and read) your local policy maker’s newsletter

Volunteer for an initiative or a campaign

Trust in your vision

Trust in your future

Trust in your goodness

more tools for happiness

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