Harriette Cole: Pursue your dreams? Yes — but maybe not so fiercely.
Goals and duties are important, but so is how we treat people along the way.
DEAR READERS: Happy New Year! It’s hard to believe that we have reached 2022. In some ways, the past year has seemed like a blur that actually lasted for nearly two years.
The lockdown we collectively experienced — which hasn’t fully ended for some of us — put us on a challenging trajectory. And here we are.
For those of us who are blessed to have made it to this day, let us honor that blessing and recognize the opportunity before us. We have the gift of moving forward and taking conscious steps to make each moment count.
What I have discovered over all of my years of engaging and supporting people on their journeys is that what matters most is how we treat each other. Too often we get caught up in goals and dreams and duties — which are all important — and we forget that it is also important how we treat people along the way.
No matter what personality type you may have, you probably have fallen into the trap of being single-minded in your efforts to attain a goal — even if occasionally it meant that you had to push someone aside, ignore another’s needs or feelings, or otherwise have tunnel vision.
To survive, it is true that we sometimes have to claim what we believe is rightfully ours. But I question whether that has to happen to the exclusion of others.
As we move into 2022, imagine if we see the world differently. If we look out at the horizon with the belief that there is enough for everybody, how should we live? If we believe fundamentally that there is enough money, water, food, joy and love for everyone, can we look with more tenderness at all that is on our path?
I have spent some time this past year talking to people cross-generationally about the future of our planet and humanity. One shared objective is that we have to take action now to preserve and nurture the very ground we walk on if future generations are to have a place to walk.
Selfishness has led too many of us to a bad place where some enjoy all of the comforts they could ever imagine while others drown in despair.
How can we change that? I believe each of us has a role.
By being conscious and intentional with our thoughts, words and deeds, we can forge ahead with greater clarity. We can begin each day with a plan to fulfill our goals as we leave space for others to fulfill theirs. We can be more thoughtful about how we spend our time and resources. We can pay attention to our environment and make smart choices that will cherish it. We can learn from our mistakes and be disciplined so that we do not repeat them. We can see each other as we move through our day and resist the temptation to look past humanity. We can be kind and honorable, no matter what obstacles appear before us. We can walk with integrity, even when an easier, less honorable path emerges along the way.
By choosing to make each moment count based on how we love, we can sleep soundly at night knowing we did our best to make our world a better place. My wish for all of us for 2022: Live with love each day. Our world depends on you!
Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.