Why am I trying to make everyone love each other? I’m not a Beatle.

By Celeste DeCamps

All over social media, I see quotes and memes saying, “Be Kind,” “Be the Person That

Makes Someone Smile,” “Be Compassionate”—in other words, don’t be a jerk. Why do

we have to keep reminding everyone to be nice? Why is there so much hate in the

world? Why is the person in front of me walking so slowly?

Why am I trying to write something so prolific that it will make everyone love each

other? I’m not a Beatle. (I want everyone to be happy. I want world peace. I want my

brother to stop making fun of me. Seriously, it’s like we’re still 8 years old.)

We don’t have control over anyone else’s thoughts or behaviors. We can only work on

ourselves. It seems like an upward battle, going through our day-to-day lives and feeling

like no one cares. It would be great if this person could just move to one side so I can

get around him.

Practicing mindfulness is a wonderful way to stay in the moment. When we’re not

fixated on the past or the future, we get clarity on what’s important right now. The focus

becomes what we do have control over, which is our own thought process and attitude

toward others. If we aren’t in a good mood, we need to take a moment and find out why.

We can blame others for our circumstances, or we can learn how to change our lives for

the better.

The funny thing is that when we ask for help, we get it. A helping hand can come from

the most unlikely places, and it renews our faith in humanity, reminding us that there’s a

lot of good in the world. It’s easy to fixate on all the bad news coming at us, but when

we take a moment to appreciate what we have and how far we’ve come, we see the

world differently. I could see the world better if the person in front of me weren’t blocking

my view.

I’m not trying to simplify the human experience. I can’t tackle the big picture of

corruption, greed, and racism. On a smaller scale, though, we all play a part in this game

called life. (Wow, that’s deep!) We all have the power to make someone smile or cry.

We should ask ourselves what pleasure can be derived from hurting someone else.

Yes, we get angry and frustrated with people because, you know . . . people. Taking a

second to breathe deep might mean the difference between compassion and jail time.

There’s no easy way to understand someone else’s perceptions and thoughts. Keeping

a healthy, positive outlook goes a long way toward developing patience with other

people. It’s hard for someone or something to ruin your day when you’re in a great

mood.

Having said that, I’ll stop planning the demise of the turtle in front of me. World peace

can be achieved after all.

Celeste DeCamps is a motivational speaker. She shares her lifetime experience of

stage-dance and movement through engaging stories and audience interaction, guiding

people as they discover tools that will keep them feeling energized and confident

moving forward. For more information, visit CelesteDeCamps.com.