Beverley Anderson-Manley

As the New Year unfolds so should the New You. How can we think differently and therefore act differently this year so we begin to make a difference in our personal lives and the life of our country? Asking the right question often brings extraordinary results. Perhaps it is useful as we think about 2007 to ask some of these questions that can transform our lives and cause us to bring focus to our efforts and by so doing bring out the best in us.

In taking responsibility for our lives and the affairs of our country, we have the right to insist that those we elect to serve do what they say they will do. We can then hold them accountable before and after the fact. This is at the heart of service. Bryant S. Hinckley describes it as "the virtue that distinguishes the great of all time and which they will be remembered by".

He notes that: " [Service] places a mark of nobility upon its disciples. It is the dividing line that separates the two groups of the world, those who help and those who hinder, those who lift and those who lean, those who contribute and those who only consume - to give encouragement, to show interest, to banish fear, to build self confidence and to awaken hope in the hearts of others, in short, to love and to show it - is to render the most previous service."

Keeping Our Word

Therefore, a critical part of service is to build the capacity to keep our word. One way in which we can begin to transform ourselves is to be mindful of our thinking and commitments to action, and to be aware when we do not keep our commitment.

One of the challenges we face in Jamaica today is distrust of our leaders. Why? Leaders often do not say what they mean and mean what they say.. As a result, they cannot keep their word. This, of course, is not only true of leaders. But they have to be singled out as they have offered themselves to serve us the citizens. The idea of giving service without having a deep and abiding commitment to translate what is said into action, leads to lack of credibility and deep cynicism.

There are some other questions that can push us forward to our 'Higher Good' and therefore help us to keep focused with the kind of energy that brings out the best in us. For example, when I take time to track my own thinking, what do I observe? What kind of conversations am I having? What kind of language am I using? What kind of feedback am I giving and am I giving it to the right person? Do I belong to the group that is creative rather than destructive?

Reflection

The Bible tells us that Jesus often "went apart". He went off by himself to think. No matter how busy we are - do we take time out to reflect and to analyse what works and what doesn't and why? Or do we just keep doing the same thing over and over again, getting the same results?

Old Mindsets

An ancient Chinese proverb says, "It is not our feet that move us along - it is our minds". As we continue this period of reflection, we could consider letting go of old mindsets that are no longer useful ways of seeing our world or ourselves. In re-setting our thinking, one of the urgent demands upon us is the necessity to see ourselves as global citizens within a global village - empowered to make the interventions necessary to create a world that works for everyone.

A World of Uncertainty

In today's world, we are constantly living in uncertainty and confusion. The homicide rate, the high levels of anti-social behaviour, our inability to resolve conflict make us feel helpless and victimised. Increasingly, it is being recognised that it is the nature of the interventions we make as human beings that can make a difference.