Interconnectedness
Take a moment to pause and reflect. We would like you to observe that as you are reading this, you are connected to a web of others who are also reading these words with a shared intention. In DBT, we believe everything and every person is connected in some way. This is one of the core principles of dialectics and a mindfulness concept of interconnectedness. We live in an interconnected world, and most of our important connections are phone calls, texts, face-times and clicks away. However, we seldom stop to think about the ways we directly or indirectly impact our environments through complex ties of connection.
When we are able to see that our personal well-being is intrinsically connected to others, we are able to access empathy, compassion, trust, collaboration, and space for different perspectives. The past two and a half years of the pandemic have displayed how truly interconnected we all are. The pandemic has highlighted the dialectical dilemma of our independent lifestyles with the reality of our interdependence. Suddenly, we have become hyperaware of how our personal choices can quickly impact many people.
Taking time to see our interconnectedness can help us live a more meaningful and compassionate life. When we allow ourselves to observe how the smallest shifts affect both direct and distant things, we are able to gain a greater sense of mindful attention, and an awareness that choices effectively alter the mutual interconnectivity of the world.
This week, we challenge you to get mindful of the web of connections you participate in at each moment. Take the time to slow down and observe how your deliberate actions impact your environment. Allow yourself to notice how things within your environment are connected to a vast web of others. In doing so, we hope you are able to cultivate space, feel peace, and spread compassion.
WORDS OF WISDOM
MEME OF THE WEEK
PODCAST
Interconnectedness: The Positive Head Podcast
TED TALK
Yves Morieux: As work gets more complex, 6 rules to simplify
BOOK OF THE WEEK
(Click below to Purchase Book)
