In 2006, John Mayer released his song “Waiting on the World to Change“. The opening lines of the song are, “me and all my friends we’re all misunderstood. They say we stand for nothing and there’s no way we ever could”. If you’re a millennial you hear this all the time, but crazy thing is John’s not a millennial.  Which means no matter what generation you belong during your 20s-30s society will label you in a negative light instead of giving you grace while you figure out life. This Truth Tuesday I want to tell you how I’m NOT waiting on the world to change. In my Baptist preacher voice, I won’t hold yall long today lol.

Birthday photoshoot 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee

In this crazy social climate, we must all check ourselves from time to time and not get caught up in all the drama. I’m gonna hit yall with three ways to avoid the drama.

  1. Sit down and have a genuine conversation with someone who’s different from you! Some of my best conversations have steam from a disagreement. It’s beautiful when opposing sides come together and really hear one another and try to impact change! Before you go jumping off the Olympic sized diving board, start small. Talk to someone that has a common goal as you (ie justice, equal pay), but has different views on how to get to the finish line. Start from there and watch things blossom!
  2. Tap into understanding, compassion and empathy! Listen, we’re all hurt, but discovering why someone ticks can add a ton of light to any situation. Understanding someone’s pain point can give you a better understanding of them overall. We’re all just a product of our life experiences. Although experiences can’t be erased, we can change our connection/relationship and perception of those events. When Anthony and I went to counseling I really started to understand him better because I had a better understanding of his past. If we come from a place of compassion/empathy, it’s easier to achieve understanding of others and for them to be more open.
  3. Go out and do some good in the world! I hate to sound naïve, because I know there’s a lot going on in the world.  But I do believe doing good deeds and putting out other good vibes can bring about positive change. I’ve written about this on the blog before, but when I get upset or frustrated I try to reuse that energy and turn it into a positive project. Last year, after the election, Anthony and I went out one night, stopped random strangers and asked them to draw a slip of paper out of a box. Each slip had a gift, a hug and hope written on it. Before the people could get their gift they had to give us a hug. We made a difference that night! I know because I saw the smiles on people’s faces and heard the love in their voices. This won’t solve all our problems, but it can definitely serve as a spring-board of change.

Birthday photoshoot 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee

What are you doing to change the world? For me, “I have decided to stick with love…hate is too great a burden to bear – MLK

Until next time loves…