Whether you decided on a
political party based on influences from your parents, friends, partners or on
your own, too often we blindly accept national platforms and assume their
creators have our best interests at heart. After being inundated with bombastic
political speeches, fuzzy numbers and empty
promises from both factions during their recent national conventions, I have decided to stop
the party and figure out on my own what does and doesn’t make sense. I
admit, listening to politicians puts me in a stupor and I rarely hear what they
are saying, not to mention understand it all. Which brings me to my personal
action plan this campaign season; INVESTIGATE, ENGAGE and ACT.
Researching all the points to a
plan is important. Politicians would NEVER
pander to special interest groups, but it is still necessary to fully read the issues
and platforms and make sure you believe and agree with what they represent. With the party marketing machines clearly
directing media coverage, our reliance on sound bites and snippets to inform us
makes it doubly important to examine the facts before formulating beliefs.
Typically I avoid political
discussions. Like religion, it is safer not to talk about it. However with my
action plan in place, the second point is to engage. My fear of facing a
staunch supporter of either party is lessened if I am confident in my own
knowledge of the facts and have good questions. Begin having heartfelt conversations
with friends and family to understand why they believe the way they do and to
express where you stand on the issues. If in fact you have completed the first step
and explored the points, having a spirited debate should give you an opportunity
to flesh out the fine details. If they are merely quoting the party platform or
parroting a canned statement from the media, asking specific questions regarding
the issue could prompt them to do what
you’ve already done and delve into the heart of the topic further.
The final phase is to move into
action, to go the next step and do something to initiate change. We feel pretty
helpless as citizens, especially this campaign season if you aren’t a voter in
one of the swing states. Communicating with others regarding the important
matters in our community and country, allows you to find and gather with
like-minded people. Creativity flows
when groups convene, especially if the people involved are not bogged down with
trying to get re-elected. Develop an action plan based on issues you and others
feel passionate about and share it. Do the research as to what the channels for
change are and stay focused on a
positive outcome. Amazing results happen when two or more people come together .
Washington doesn’t have all the
answers. The power for change must come from the people. I don’t know the exact
steps in getting heard, but what I do know is when pockets of citizens come
together for the good of the whole, change will start to happen . We can turn
this country around when we understand the issues, communicate and connect with
others and then move into action for programs and plans that are good for
everyone. If enough of us take the first steps, suddenly the collective cry will
be too loud to ignore.
Join with me this campaign season
by declaring the Party’ Over and take the initiative to INVESTIGATE, ENGAGE and
ACT to develop your own opinions and thoughts about the issues. Find your voice
and share it.
Becky Arrington guides individuals and businesses to discover their purpose and live authentically. Whether you’re a company looking for innovative ways to lead and engage employees or an individual trying to prioritize, reduce stress or decide what you want to be when you grow up, learning to accept and thrive in change is key.
Visit our web site at www.channelforchange.com
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