Integral-Canna: Motivation from Passion

Finding the drive to continue on with our everyday lives requires us to have a larger goal, and to continue to take actions that help to work towards that goal. The goal is not something that has to be completed, but more something to strive for. It could be anything that speaks to you personally. The safety and happiness of our family, advocating for human rights, or creating some other positive change in our world are just a few examples that come to mind. Finding my motivation and checking back in with my choices against my motivation has given me a lot of momentum back in my life. So, how do we determine our passion and turn that into motivation?

Maybe you already know what your passion is, and that is great. I have seen a lot of passionate people who still could not put a name on their passion. The change that you want to see is a great place to start. If you want to see a change like support for those experiencing homelessness, addiction, or domestic violence, that area would be where you should start to explore. We do not need to be locked into our passion either. If we decide that, while we are passionate about those listed above, we realize that all of our passions are impacted by the systemic level, we can always make that redirection. Now that we have a direction or passion to focus on, how can we turn that into motivation?

While I love to think that we can solve every issue in my lifetime, I do not think we will. Not in a pessimistic way, but that kind of real change will take generations to find the proper balance. Knowing that the change I want to see may not come to pass while I am still alive, I can start making the small steps towards that change in any way I can. I can discuss those things with my family, friends and peers. I can create works of art through imagery, music, or dance that express the message. Ultimately, I am looking to take baby steps in the right direction. While I don’t think I can solve world hunger today, maybe I can at least give the person on the corner I see almost every day a sandwich. That small action is so obtainable towards my goal, that it no longer seems impossible to achieve.

We have a lot of changes that we need to make. We can do so much better as a species to respect each other and our shared space. While I don’t think that grand sweeping change will come during my life, I know it starts with each one of us as individuals. My peace and happiness is directly impacted by ours, and the opposite is also true. As we close out the year, I am also closing out the Integral-canna series. I hope that you find some of these road signs I have left behind helpful in pointing you in a direction that helps you navigate your path in a healthy way, that works for you, and allows you to heal. Invest the time in your physical, mental, and spiritual self care, and when your energy allows it, create the change.

Hope to see ya on the path. - Rev