What if you embrace your community responsibility?
As the New Year starts – many of us rang in the new year with new hope for 2021. And a loud cry of “good riddance” to 2020! I know some of us believed that when we woke up on Jan 1, 2021, the world would miraculously go back to normal. ‘Normal’ is not a measurement we as citizens should aspire to. Normal is being passive and putting our head in the sand about inequitable behaviours and mindsets that have plagued the West for centuries. The time is now to own our responsibility and place any semblance of normal in the review mirror.
Check out the video and get the insights direct from the conscious cultivator’s mouth!
by Suzanne F. Stevens, Conscious-Contribution
Cultivator, Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), YouMeWe.ca
Responsibility to fellow citizens
Succumbing to the Status quo, that is normal. We all have been there and didn’t want to rock the preverbal boat. The acceptance of the status quo is also acknowledging that citizens’ obligation to society is minimal.
When confronted with situations, we lean into “what can I get?” rather than what would benefit the welfare of all. We gauge our social-wellbeing by our individual progression and not the advancement of all. There is no obligation to the greater good. There is a limited responsibility to our fellow citizens and no accountability for their progression.
We are, however, not wholly void of our civic duty. Some citizens vote, abide by laws, volunteer, serve in the military or government, and most pay taxes (grudgingly). What we don’t have is a collective belief that we have a responsibility to serve society.
Can you imagine if sporting teams, military units, or employees acted in their self-interest?
People rely on each other to flourish, whether we admit it or not.
Three forms of taking responsibility
As citizens, we can take a role in turning the tide on what is normal. Let’s look through the lens of three forms of taking responsibility:
Civic Duty – How are we enforcing the health protocols that have been “highly recommended?” You don’t want a lecture? I get it, not a fan either. But when it just makes good rational scientific sense, bring it on! Wash your hands, stand two meters apart, wear a mask … and for many – stay home. And when given the opportunity, get vaccinated, do it for the benefit of we.
Volunteer– Offer your time, energy, or expertise. There are many ways for people with the wherewithal to assist a friend, family member, neighbour, or stranger during this physical and mental health crisis. Visit our Holiday weWednesday for ten easy things you can do any time of year.
Actively consciously contribute – Transform a gap in society through activism, leadership, or social entrepreneurship. At the onset of the pandemic, the media reported that Covid19 knows no borders, age, race, gender, sex, or colour. We now know that is not true. Minorities, the elderly, and women bear the brunt of this virus’s consequences (Violence against women has escalated, women are stuck. Help YouMeWe do our part, we are raising funds for anti-violence visit through the purchase of a YouMeWe Cap https://store.youmewe.ca/product/youmewe-classic-cap/ ). There is an opportunity to assess what you care about and weave a cause into your business. Each of us has a responsibility to uplift the life of another. (To learn more about conscious-contributions visit: https://youmewe.ca/wewednesdays-what-is-a-conscious-contribution-2/
What our civic duty is now
At a minimum, our responsibility is to follow the Covid protocols diligently – as our economy, mental and physical health depends on it. Dismissive decisions are punishing small businesses in your community, vulnerable people you know and don’t know, and yes, you.
Ignore those that think they are invincible and frankly have shown some destructive behaviours – politicians, conspiracy theorist, and Uncle Ned. You have a civic duty. You’re not called upon often, but now it is the time to rise up. Yes, I’m telling you. Frankly, without the collective, we will not stop the spread and not be about to get back to work, and for a small business, that is the nail in our coffin.
Own your responsibility; if not you, then who?
Dismounting soapbox.
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Until next time, make your contribution count for you, me, we.
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