Many people believe the planet is changing its "vibration." Some of us think that now could be a time of "planetary evolution."

It better be.

We desperately need new vision, new ideas and new ways of thinking and acting in order to solve the myriad of problems we face in our communities and our nations, and on our planet.

Sometimes it seems to me that we need to try a bit harder to overcome some of our basic human instincts.

I love the idea that we are spiritual beings having a human experience.  I think that means, in part, that we need to be strong enough spiritually to overcome some of our less helpful tendencies.

Many of us feel helpless to make a real difference in the world.  That helplessness may be why so many people turn to superstition instead of solutions.  To believe that our problems are caused because a Higher Power is punishing us because we allow fill-in-the-blank in our communities is a convenient way to attack people instead of problems.

But many people feel that if we can change ourselves, we can change the planet.

What would happen if we each challenged ourselves to make small life-affirming changes?  What if we worked to resist our own pettiness?  Would that mean that ultimately, there would be less pettiness in the world? What if we worked to better channel our own anger?  Would that mean there would be less violence in the world?

What small changes could you think of that might make a difference?

What would happen if, when we saw a non-threatening spider or snake, we resisted the urge to kill it?

What would happen if, when we had a conversation with someone whose views were different from our own, we treated them with respect?

What would happen if, when we felt angry, we found humor in the situation?

What would happen if we stopped fearing judgment, and allowed ourselves to be creative?

What would happen if, when we inadvertently said something that hurt someone, we apologized, even though we meant no offense?

What would happen if, when someone inadvertently hurt us, we forgave them?

What would happen if we remembered our commonality, instead of our differences?

What would happen if we turned off our TV, and left it off?

What would happen if we researched facts, and refused to share lies?

What would happen if we only spoke about others what we knew to be absolutely true?

What would happen if we stopped seeing the world in terms of "good guys" and "bad guys," and instead just saw people?

We will always be human, and that's ok.  But what would happen if we actively, consciously participated in our own evolution?