I must have been around 20 at the time. What was I thinking as I stood there in the wind, wondering where life would take me?
I had little fear for my future, in 1982.
I lived in and for the present moment. Spontaneous. Responsive. With little planning.
If I had planned ahead better, I could have made more of those days. Those uninhibited days, ignorant of intense worry and sorrow. Now I have gravel rash scars and several deeper wounds incurred through a lived experience. I came to know that kind of sorrow later on in life.
In 1982, I was primarily concerned about bigger-scale environmental issues and global temperature rises, but few listened.
So I went on with life.
In 2022, I see sustainability education has finally become mainstream, being adopted in schools, the workplace, and business. The mindset is changing. More and more folks realize our world cannot sustain continual plundering plus climate, soil and air damage without serious repercussions.
We must act fast and with care for our future generations.
Our Purpose and Scientific Experiments on Fear
Neuroplasticity is a buzzword. We know we can change our brains in both negative and positive ways.
In a scientific experiment with a mouse and a cherry, a mouse was deliberately given an electric shock each time it tried to eat a cherry. The mouse quickly learned to fear the humble cherry and froze when it was presented with it.
The mouse’s Grandchildren responded to the cherry in the same way the Grandfather mouse had done.
The fear response originated from the Grandfather and was passed down, not in the grandfather’s genetic code, but in manifestations, in the way genes were expressed in his grandchildren’s behaviour.
So the grand-mice froze in fear when presented with a cherry.
Our human brain’s amygdala initiates our fear and disgust responses while another part of the brain elicits pleasure and reward.
In the case of the mouse, the circuitry was diverted from the brain’s olfactory (smell) centre and pleasure response centre, because of the shocks and pain. So instead of responding with pleasure, the mouse froze. Then this information was passed on epigenetically to his offspring as an evolutionary adaptation.
Our learning in life contributes to the DNA memory that we pass down epigenetically via our offspring.
What kind of learning are you passing on?
Is it not our purpose to learn and pass on helpful information to our offspring, ensuring our brains don’t tip into fear mode?
Fear breeds hatred and hatred breeds divisiveness and fear.
In 2024, challenge yourself to pass on positive experiences and helpful information to future generations.
More Global New Year Resolutions for 2023
Janis posted about making a New Year resolution not for herself, but for the whole world. Primarily her salient words were to not be so stupid. Simple rules to live by.
Suggestions like to NOT text and drive nor drink and drive.
There were more serious resolution suggestions too:
- Develop a healthy scepticism – Don’t believe everything you read, hear, or see on the Internet – check things out (and not only with your favourite confirmation bias source).
- Don’t equate the accumulation of things with the building of happiness.
The premise of capitalism – the MORE and MORE does NOT Lead to MORE wealth and MORE jobs nor a higher standard of living. Just look around.
The World is not an infinite well.
That model no longer stacks up to PROGRESS as the planet, and its resources are FINITE.
Resolutions for 2023
Before you make your next purchase this year, in 2023, ask yourself
DO YOU REALLY NEED IT?
If you must buy, choose timeless clothes, durable appliances, and minimal technology, recycled goods.
Avoid one-use plastic items.
Choose to support ethical companies.
Re-use items in a different way rather than dispose of them.
It is definitely not rocket science.
Something to Ponder About 