Three Ways to Use Your Voice for a Better World

I've been doing a lot of thinking about how we can use our voice for a better world. The voice of a nation. The voice of a child. The voice of the sick. The voice of a community. A tiny word that speaks volumes in so many ways.

I've turned to the wisdom of Malala Yousafzai, the child-woman who is wise beyond her years, a thousand times for inspiration and encouragement. Now I'm turning to her one more time:

"I speak not for myself but for those without a voice... those who have fought for their rights... their right to live in peace, their right to be treated with dignity, their right to equality of opportunity, their right to be educated." ~Malala Yousafzai

Her strong, enlightening voice speaks for so many.

Using our voice means we're vibrantly alive, helping to guide humanity to be fair, honest and just.

The definition of voice is to express something into words. That's not always an inherent characteristic in a person,

I was shy as a child, particularly when meeting new people. I remember my parents had a dinner party and I hid in my room, too nervous to speak to adults I hardly knew. My father, wondering where I was, found and scolded me for my bad manners. He not only demanded I meet his guests but wanted me to look squarely into their eyes, shake their hands and say, "I'm pleased to meet you."

It was a simple lesson on the importance of good manners. It was also an exercise to illustrate how using my voice, even for a simple task, meant the difference between right and wrong.

We already use our voice in many ways. If a child crosses the street when a car is coming. If you speak to your friends about your point of view. If you speak out against injustice in the world.

I was only nine years old when Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated but I remember Ted Kennedy's heartbreaking eulogy. He spoke of his brother's legacy, one of honor, decency and kindness. These principles were true of RFK. His life teaches us that peace, tolerance, compassion and an extraordinary sense of decency are necessary and timeless:

"My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it.

As he said many times, in parts of this nation, to those he touched and who sought to touch him:

'Some men see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not.'"

This should be part of The Golden Rule, the reciprocity of treating others as you'd like to be treated. And the idea that we can make our dreams of peace, equality and tolerance into reality.

Despite the dark clouds ahead we must keep these ideals firmly in our hearts.

We need to use our voices.

Advocate - Against injustice, wrongdoing or bullying. Be someone's voice who is afraid or lacking in knowledge or ability. Speak up when someone is being treated unfairly or criticized. Help someone who is lonely, afraid or depressed. Perform a simple act of kindness if someone is down on their luck.

Stand up - Our country, the United States of America, is going through a difficult period after the recent election. People are pitted against each other. Hatred, bigotry, misogyny and violence have increased tenfold. Take stock. Look inward. What are your principles? What do you stand for? What is right? What are your core values?

Remember what our country stands for:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

Help one another - I know too many people dealing with all types of hardships. Illness, loss, depression, loneliness, fear, loss of insurance. financial hardship, even thoughts of suicide.

The world will always have problems. Keep in mind what our parents and grandparents endured. The Depression. two World Wars and the Holocaust were all unimaginable moments in history.

Today is our moment in history. How will it be remembered? What can you do to make it better? How will you help others? Will you stand against oppression and prejudice? Will you lend a helping hand to those in need?

How will you use your voice?

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." ~Helen Keller

What Did Paul McCartney Remind Me And What Does It Have To Do With Handling Stress?

“When I find myself in times of troubles,
Mother Mary comes to me,
Speaking words of wisdom,
Let it be.

English: John Lennon and Paul McCartney at Ken...

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

What’s a nice Jewish girl doing writing a post that begins by singing praises of Mother Mary?

Yesterday, I re-watched Sir Paul McCartney being honored at The Kennedy Center Honors. This is my favorite award show, when peers honor the best and the brightest artists. Musicians such as Nora Jones, Steven Tyler, James Taylor and Mavis Staples belted out McCartney-Lennon songs for Sir Paul. I broke out in goose bumps.

And when the broken hearted people living in a world agree,
There will be an answer, let it be.
For though they may be parted, there is still a chance that they will see.
There will be an answer. Let it be.

When James began strumming on his guitar and singing “Let It Be”, I realized what the next topic for my blog post would be.

When I was first diagnosed with MS, I was told to learn to handle stress for optimal health. Through the years, I’ve read about and tried many different ways of coping; some have worked and some have not.

After all of my searching, I realized the most important lesson I’ve learned.

Mandala Spiritual Art It doesn’t matter what anyone else believes in. (At least not to me.) It can be Mary or Jesus, Moses, Buddha or The Golden Rule. As long as you have something of your own, something tucked safely within your heart and soul that is your personal belief system. That is what matters. Because inevitably, someday, somehow, when your faith is tested, your beliefs will step up to the plate for you, ready to help you navigate your bumpy road. It will give you comfort, courage and hope for a better tomorrow.

And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light that shines on me.
Shine until tomorrow. Let it be.

My personal beliefs are a recipe of sorts. I start out with my Judaic beliefs, lines from great poetry and the teachings of Buddha. Add to that the many lessons learned from my father and my uncle, great readers of literature and poetry. Blend in large amounts of the wonders of nature. Top it off with meaningful stories shared by close family and friends.

These beliefs are the ones I turn to at the end of the day. They renew my spirit, and give me courage and strength.

I wake up to the sound of music, Mother Mary comes to me.
Speaking words of wisdom. Let it be.
Let it be, let it be. Let it be, yeah, let it be.

Through my advocacy work and my writing, I’ve spoken to hundreds of people Hiking Along Country Road struggling with the burdens of living with an autoimmune disease. I tell them how I’ve learned to deal with stress. I hope someday they will think of me, and discover what beliefs work best for their journey.

There will be an answer, let it be.
Let it be, let it be, let it be,
yeah, let it be.
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be." ~John Lennon/Paul McCartney

Let me offer a few ways I’ve learned to try to lower my stress levels:

Go on news fasts. This was sound advice I read years ago by Dr. Andrew Weil. The world will keep on spinning whether you stay on top of the daily news or not. Any local news channel will first air violent stories in order to grab your attention. In the past, my hands and feet would start to tingle when listening to the news. No more. On most days I read top stories delivered to my inbox from The New York Times, Forbes or The Wall Street Journal. Of course, there’s no way to avoid the news completely. But, every once in awhile, do yourself a favor and take a break from it.
Give yourself a gift. Act silly with good friends. Go on a romantic date with your spouse or companion. Enjoy quality time with your children. Curl up with a good book. Play with your pets. Go for a walk in beautiful surroundings. Listen to uplifting music. Give yourself the gift of joy and laughter.
Take the negative out of your life. You know, the negative. Negative people, negative events and negative thoughts. Let your intuition guide you. It will tell you if something doesn’t feel quite right. Try replacing any negative thoughts with positive ones. (See Cognitive Behavioral Therapy).
Exercise. Regular exercise has been proven to decrease your levels of stress. I try to take walks every day. Some are shorter than others, and on bad days I use our treadmill. A short walk is better than none at all.

So, whether it’s Mother Mary or Moses or The Golden Rule that you believe in, each ARE standing right in front of you. Waiting to help. Waiting to keep you brave. Waiting to give you wisdom. Waiting to give you hope.

What beliefs help you handle stress?

DISCLAIMER: Comments from An Empowered Spirit are brought to your attention on topics that could benefit you and should be discussed with your doctor or other medical professional. I am not medically trained and my posts are of a journalistic nature and not in lieu of medical advice. An Empowered Spirit and its author will not be held liable for any damages incurred from the use of this blog or any data or links provided.

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