Every Monday Matters by Matthew Emerzian

Author:Matthew Emerzian
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2019-02-18T06:00:00+00:00

————— WEEK 3 —————

This Week…

FIND COMMON GROUND

Labels are a simple yet powerful system we use for organizing information. We use them to delineate months of the year, to categorize types of art, and even to specify how we like our coffee. But as necessary and efficient as labels may be, they can also have a negative effect on the world. Why? Because labels cause us to focus too much on our differences—white, black, brown, Republican, Independent, Democrat, woman, man, kid, adult—instead of what we have in common. Maybe instead of thinking of labels that emphasize our differences, we can strive to use labels that describe what we have in common—humans, animal lovers, dreamers, and friends. this week, we are going to push our differences aside to FIND COMMON GROUND, because as different as we all might be, we have just as much, if not more, in common. At our core, we all have the same needs and desires—shelter, food, water, love, relationships, purpose, and happiness. We also share the same hope for a kind, supportive, healthy, and safe world. So let’s come together under the label of “World Changers” to see what we can accomplish. Finding common ground matters.

TAKE ACTION

HIGH: Gather a group of friends, family, or coworkers, and ask everyone to offer one label that is causing issues in your community today. Maybe it has to do with race, religion, sex, age, or politics. As a group, discuss how these labels can be turned into something positive and constructive.

MEDIUM: Think of five labels that you use for people and what meanings you attach to them. Then challenge yourself to replace these potentially negative labels with new, positive ones based on similarities instead of differences.

LOW: Ask yourself how you typically respond to disagreements or conflicts? Do you tend to dig in and keep the conflict going, or are you one of the first to work toward common ground? If you are the stubborn type, challenge yourself to move more toward being a common-ground finder.

We build too many walls and not enough bridges.

—JOSEPH FORT

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