11 Commitments for 2022
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People
We are all unique, yet, despite our differences we all have equal human value.
1. I will value everyone equally showing respect, kindness and dignity. I will not judge but instead recognise and understand our differences. Comment
2. I will give to others more freely and I will stand up against injustice more often. Comment
3. I will listen more often and more carefully, since it takes just one story to change a life. Comment
4. I will enjoy the happiness of loving relationships and spending more time creating memories with the most important people in my life.
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Place
Our planet is our only home. We share it with other life. We have to work together to survive and prosper.
5. I will treat all life with care, respect and compassion and understand the true value of nature. Comment
6. I will look after this fragile planet through my daily choices and I will do something to repair the ongoing damage.
7. I will spend more time connecting with nature understanding its strength, beauty, fragility and complexity and helping me know where I belong.
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Purpose
I have a right to be here, to feel valued and make a difference.
8. I will be kinder to myself and look after my body. I will eat well, exercise regularly and sleep better.
9. I will become more creative and keep learning and will be proud of my successes, accept and learn from my failures and always be truthful .
10. I will acknowledge and accept my negative feelings however painful they are, so that I can free myself and move on.
11. I am thankful for the good things in my life. I will get things wrong but I am inherently a good person and despite the constraints of daily life can help create a better future.
Why These 11 Commitments?
As humans we are very predictable. From the start of our evolution we have need to belong, feel safe and be valued. When that doesn't happen we feel insecure or at worse frightened and fearful. These feelings trigger a defence or an attack mode to protect ourselves. The emotions used in attack are anger, anxiety, stress, jealousy and in defence they are fear, sadness, hopelessness and depression.
The events of our life particularly as children when we felt unsafe, unloved or neglected will be remembered by our brain which will respond with negative thoughts if any of those feelings are revived again later in life. The brain (the Amygdala to be precise) is simply trying to protect us. These negative thoughts lead us to feel insecure, over-sensitive, sad or undeserving. However our behaviours do not have to follow our thoughts. We can break the cycle by increasing our resilience and letting the negative thoughts pass by.
Below are 11 commitments to help you develop resilience that we will find it easier to deal with negative thoughts, stressful events and anything that life throws at us so that we can retain an inner contentment. They include our relationship with nature as this is fundamental to creating a sense of belonging to this amazing world. I hope these commitments can help you for 2022.
