Occupy Yourself

With the occupation of America taking place, starting with Wall Street, and politics in the country as they are, our attention is turned more to the idea of "corporate greed" and our role and responsibility as citizens. While many of life's circumstances are out of our control, only we can give ourselves up to being truly victimized. Afterall, "Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional." Though we may feel powerless to influence change at the highest levels of government as our system currently stands, that does not mean that we are actually powerless. Our votes come in smaller, subtler ways, but they are no less powerful. Every day we decide who and what we support by where we send our energy.

The most contentious form of energy (and after all, it IS just another form of energy) is money. Think of every single dollar you spend as a vote. Where does it go? What are you most enthusiastically supporting by voting for time and time again? Basic living expenses sometimes require us to pay up to those "big corporations," but what necessities are actually "basic"? Do we need that cable package (sure, they may call it "basic," but really)? Do we need to turn on every light in the house at once? Does our food need to come pre-prepared, over-packaged, and de-nutritionalized or can we return to a more basic, sustainable diet at a lower cost to ourselves and the planet? Can we shop locally and support small business rather than supporting the rate-cutting big boxes? Can we think of purchases as investments in the recipients of our votes (and ourselves with quality products and experiences) and not as a scramble to hoard every penny?

Additionally, should we spend our evenings and weekends rapt in self-absorbed leisure, or should we make some investment in passing along our good fortune to those who have less by giving some small amount of what we have to those causes that stir our souls (and oh, they're out there)?

These are, none of them, criticisms. They are tools that we can all use to shift gears in our own thinking about the way in which our energy is currently expended and the ways in which we may find a desire to make a change. We are not powerless, we are empowered every day by our ability to choose. Only you can decide where your line is drawn, but every movement towards your best self is one that benefits not only you, but those around you and those around them and those around them and those around them and those around them... by the ripples of careful and conscious consumerism that you've begun.

Indeed, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." (Margaret Mead)

(Photos courtesy of Truth Control, which has been documenting the occupation of Chicago. Please share this site. It is being updated regularly!)