What do you think when you think of ‘anarchy’? Someone throwing a brick through a window, right? Looting, mass rioting, lawlessness and mayhem. And yes, in one of the more successful propaganda moves of the last century, the word anarchy has come to mean ‘civil unrest’.
That’s not how it started out though. Anarchy is a political philosophy that stresses how important it is for people to think and make decisions for themselves, rather than just blindly following authority.
In a world so obsessed with generic consumerism, where a few control so many… as parents, my husband and I feel very strongly that we need to raise our sons to think for themselves, and be willing to question the norm. Because, let’s face it: the norm sucks.
So how does that high-minded plan play out in real life? Let’s take New Year’s Resolutions as an example.
Think on the normal resolutions people tend to make. To lose 10 kg. To exercise more. To achieve more career-wise. To save up for a better car, house, set of golf clubs.
And there’s nothing wrong with those resolutions, as long as they are not founded in fear or insecurity. And not trotted out in a numbered list each year as a habit, rather than a commitment.
In our house, instead of each making our own numbered lists, we discuss what we want to try focus on in the year ahead.
What are our focuses going to be for 2015? I don’t know yet – you have to get used to collective decision-making in an anarchic household – but I can tell you what we chose last year.
In 2014, we decided to work on the balance between courage and kindness. Too often, when you’re trying to think differently, you either berate yourself or others when you, or those around you, aren’t being as brave as you feel is necessary. So consciously including kindness – to both your self and others – feels like a good way to try and live. How did we do? We started out well, but I think stress overcame our good intentions by the end of the year.
That’s okay, though. Resolutions are exactly that, good intentions. And as long as you see yourself on a path you’re happy with, I think you have a jump on the year ahead already.
Happy 2015, Change Exchangers. Here’s to the year ahead, whatever you want it to hold.
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