madness – Make It Your Problem

Imagine a country filled with possibilities where most of your needs can be met and lots of your desires achieved. A place where honesty, integrity, persistence and some initiative are rewarded by providence and fellow citizens. In this place government serves the people but doesn’t smother them. Our elected officials are expected to represent the diverse and vocal electorate with decisions and actions that are thoughtful and not ideological. Decisions that don’t please everyone and never always please the same people are the order of the day.

Work is valued and those who perform it are honored whether a doctor or a caretaker. The contribution they make is recognized and compensated in such a way as to allow dignity. Small businesses thrive and large corporations balance profit against community.

Intelligence is respected. Individualism is encouraged. Inspiration is abundant. Wisdom of elders is acknowledge and lessons are learned. Playfulness and curiousity isn’t just the prevue of youth and everyone seeks lifelong learning across a wide menu of opportunities.

Family, however that is defined, is the main source of support and encouragement. Friendships are based in respect rather than reciprocity yet an unspoken quid pro quo is dutifully, intuitively and joyfully observed.

Stewardship of all resources; physical, financial and human are tested but not abused, shared but not demanded, conserved and preserved rather than spent in a short term quest for more – right now.

I live in a place (and likely so do you) where some of this vision is already true; a place where most of the ideals were once held across society. But also a place where many of these ideas are fading. We are all complicate in the erosion of a collective preferred future, either by our actions or inactions. What steps can we take ourselves, with our family and in groups of likeminded compatriots to reverse engineer the future. If we begin with a version of this ‘Utopia’ as the goal and work backwards to the current state maybe a plan will reveal itself. More likely we just need to start acting like the future is already here and when enough of us begin the destiny will manifest itself.

Make Today Remarkable by taking a first step,

One of the definitions of madness includes the idea state of frenzied or chaotic activity. I have some routines that serve me on the micro level. My mornings from 5am to 8am are all very similar. My dietary state , my physical and mental health are all better when I stay close to a routine. I end most days with a consistent practice that, for the most part, ensures a restful sleep. In between I have moments of accidental madness and periods of calculated frenzy.

I try to shake things up where I have some measure of control. My travels are opportunistic rather than planned. I don’t take the same route two days in a row. If walking, I meander and try to be observant (even though I have a destination in mind). If biking, I take a different loop. If driving, my options are limited but still varied. This practice seems to step me out of the rut of sameness and leaves open the possibility for some madness.

As a procrastinator, I usually have a looming deadline that creates some calculated frenzy that I find exhilarating. I do worry that my best work might not arise from the pressure but not enough to take a different approach.

The impact of working with others, especially those who have a different agenda or those who answer to a different authority means that unexpected accidental chaos can occur. I do get frustrated and can feel anxious by delayed responses and too much paralyzing collaboration. Strange that where someone sees collaboration as an organizing practice, I find it can be fruitless and mediocre.

I know my frenzy isn’t anything like yours. I understand that where I see beauty in change you may see chaos. It is likely that some of you live a heart pounding frenzy that I somehow have avoided. I would be interested in hearing how you handle or create madness in your life.

Make Today Remarkable, for someone you love,|

Tag: madness

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Calculated Frenzy