Michael

Whatever you fight you strengthen. What you resist, persists. - Eckhart Tolle

All of us have the tendency to fight to make changes. We feel that we must struggle to overcome what life throws our way. If we aren’t pushing against something, we don’t feel like we are making any progress.

Eckhart Tolle suggests that all of our pushing, struggling, fighting, resisting, and “going to war over” is perpetuating the very things that we would like to change. For many of us, this is a radical concept. For others it may be the best alternative idea to come along in sometime.

I’m sure that you can think of examples of how this is true. Have you ever “battled” with a toddler who is determined to go in a particular direction, i.e. not the one you want? Have you seen how arguments can easily escalate out of control? Do you really believe the “war on drugs” or the “fight against obesity” is working?

I know that in my personal life, what I’ve resisted has very literally persisted. The more I have tried to stop my negative behaviors, the more they seemed to grow. I had to learn how to focus on the positive behavior I wanted. Only then did I make headway into the change I was looking for.

What we must do is take a different approach. We need to utilize other tools to make positive change in the world. For example; focusing our attention on the positive attributes, learning to listen, celebrating our similarities, or directing our attention to what we want instead of what we don’t like. If we don’t like something or someone, we must practice other techniques instead of fighting or forcing our opinions and behaviors on others.

I believe Eckhart and others like him are on to something very important. It’s time for a different way of being, acting and behaving. We can affect the world simply by working on ourselves. Our personal example of living a better life will influence others to do the same. Slowly but surely, so many people will be living this way, that true global change will take place.

Michael