So many of us are frustrated with the status quo, yet feel powerless to change things—whether about our personal work life, or more global issues of politics, gender equality, or climate change.
That is what makes March’s Interview with Influential Women and Amy Cross so powerful—she is actually giving us tools to directly influence how companies act on women’s issues. Her company, BuyUp, tracks and indexes consumer companies based on how they stack up on topics that removes gender bias from the work place, and then BuyUp provides you and I this data in an easy to use app.
In fact, if I could find a quality that has been universal in my Influential Women guests it has been this unwillingness to accept things as they are and a dogged determination to find creative ways to make a change. None of these women had life handed to them on a silver spoon; and every one of them is making a difference in their own lives and those of others.
When you are faced with a situation that you do not like, what is your normal reaction?
Most people mainly become irritated, complain to the source, or tell others about what is wrong. I do it, too, sometimes. What I am continually reminded of though when I do these is how little affect they have on making the situation better.
I have decided to challenge myself over the next month whenever I catch myself complaining to do one of three things.
- Widen back and try to see the situation in a new light that will change my perspective of it as a problem.
- Recognize this is not a situation I cannot change and either accept it or remove myself from it.
- Write down at least three things I can do to improve the situation; then do them.
By doing these three things you will be taking back the power over frustrating situations rather than allowing yourself to feel at the affect of the outer world. Let’s face it, we all encounter things in our daily life that are not worth the energy we give them when we get upset.
For those few things in your life that need your attention you will now be taking concrete actions to improve them, opening the door to new possibilities.
When you complain, you make yourself a victim. Leave the situation, change the situation, or accept it. All else is madness.
Eckhart Tolle – Author
Once you are in the habit of seeing life through this type of lens you will be more likely to create your own BuyUp idea and not only make the world a better place, but possibly find your own million dollar idea in the process.
Look for solutions. Be creative. Think BIG!
