Neill Neill, Ph.D.

After some much-needed family time, my first post of 2007 is to set a direction for 2007 and to invite you to come with me. In the past my first article has been about making resolutions and setting goals: how do you maximize your chances of manifesting your personal dreams for the new year?

This year I’ve been thinking about a more expanded approach, a big-picture approach to the new year. I’m not talking about your personal resolutions. Rather, I am talking about our collectively holding an intention, a larger vision for our community.

"Community" can be whatever you decide: your family, your neighborhood, your town or city, your country or even the global community.

My five top wishes for 2007 are below. Please join me in considering the big picture. Add your own big wishes to the Comments section below. With a clear direction there is something big or small that each of us can do to move our communities in that direction.

My first wish for 2007 is for an increased awareness that every one of us is a member of our community and we are all interconnected. We know intellectually that your good fortune is everyone’s good fortune. But being collectively conscious of it takes us to another level. The more aware we are of our interconnectedness, the more we grow individullay and as a community.

My second wish for 2007 is for a reduction in the suffering and neglect families endure when a family member is addicted to alcohol or drugs. It’s a tall order, but if every adult impacted by another’s addiction were to take a couple of small steps towards better self care, their children would feel safer and we would all suffer less. (Self care will continue to be addressed on this blog.)

Speaking of children, my third wish for 2007 is that every child be encouraged to develop their artistic and creative potential, because right-brain talents are becoming the engines of our future economic wellbeing. In North America and Europe the MFA (Master of Fine Arts) is unseating the MBA from its throne as the most useful advanced degree. The MFAs are the future CEOs. (See A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future)

Fourth, in 2007 I would like to see us be more proactive in tapping into the wealth of experience represented by our older citizens. Many of our elders have contributed greatly to our collective wellbeing, but many more, whether they are conscious of it or not, are just waiting to be asked to share their wisdom and energy. I suggest that our older citizens represent a well of underutilized wealth that we have barely begun to draw from.

My fifth wish for 2007 is that all the men and women and youth with addictions become more aware of how they are taking themselves (and others) out of the game of life. Life is to be experienced, physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. Addictions develop as a byproduct of continuing attempts to avoid experiencing life. Increased awareness by our addicted and potentially addicted citizens is their first step in doing something about their addiction, so they can rejoin society and regain the potential for happiness and fulfillment. 

Those are my five wishes for the future. It’s up to you and me as individuals to do our bit to further these or other big-picture directions within our community.

Remember, it’s not the actions by our elected governments, but the little actions of individuals like you and me that transform the world. It’s the only way it has ever happened.

Copyright © Neill Neill. All rights reserved.

Psychologist Dr. Neill Neill maintains an active psychology and life-coaching practice on Vancouver Island, BC, Canada, and is on the treatment team at Sunshine Coast Health Centre, an addiction rehab center for men. Author of Living with a Functioning Alcoholic - A Woman’s Survival Guide. Get on his list for notification that he has posted a new article.