Over the last two years, it has seemed to me that we have been searching for support. The environment which we exist in is becoming complicated and harmful. You only need to look at the news to see all that is unfolding. Suicides are increasing as is mental health.Why do we find ourselves in this situation? using a PESTLE analysis model which identifies the Political, Economical, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental situation that we navigate through, I will endeavour to explain my thoughts.
Politically, we have Brexit and the Trump administration in the USA causing a paradigm shift in attitudes. Some may argue that these attitudes have always been there but Brexit and Trump are the catalysts to our current situation. There are other world issues such as refugees trying hard to escape hardship, we also have terrorism which is blighting the world. Political infighting has caused people in power to behave poorly giving those they govern a negative view. Knife crime has robbed us of our youth and Windrush scandal is robbing us of our elders.
Economically the world is struggling. The use of food banks is increasing and companies are deserting the UK because of Brexit and other factors. Money doesn’t seem to stretch as far as it use too, everyday shopping prices have increased. More people are in debt and are struggling to make ends meet. Businesses are finding it hard to stay a float and shops are disappearing from our high streets. As the price of goods rise and borrowing increases people are turning to loan companies with high interest rates to get by.
Socially there seems to be a big divide amongst people. Muslims being attacked and abused, Jewish people having their synagogues attacked, and black people continuously being down graded as people by those in power and those without. The divide is palpable and is causing social unrest which is being amplified by verbal and physical attacks. You also have discrimination against LGBTQI community which has also given way to attacks. Women are being brutalised by their spouses and being discriminated at work due to their sex.
Technologically we have the uprising of social media. Children feeling the pressure of social media bullying as are adults. Those who own these sights are finding it difficult to police them thoroughly to enable individuals to feel safe and secure. Social Media has been used, so it has been said, to put out mis-information around political issues allowing people to be influenced into choosing a party or person. Technology today is playing a big part in our day to day lives. We have come to reply on it heavily, consuming all that it has to offer. We may need to think about how much of a part it plays in our lives. Is it stopping us from spending more time with our children, are our children being cared for by the computer, are we giving ourselves enough time away from the computer?
The Legal aspects are wide and varied. What could the legal ramifications be if we leave the EU. Will we continue to have protected rights of law relating to employment? Are we going to have to give up any legal rights should we leave the EU?
Further a field there has been legal changes that have affected many, causing some to be incarcerated in make shift cells and children/babies dragged for their parents arms. Legal changes in abortion in some states of America taking away the right of women to choose. Of course some countries are improving legal rights if you take the case of the gay rights movement, same sex marriage are now becoming more acceptable across the world.
The Environment is an enormous challenge, climate change, plastics being used causing animals to suffer. There is also the dumping of waste in other peoples country which many western countries have been said to be guilty of. The rain forest is under attack, air pollution is not easing and people are dying from poor air quality.
It is said that overcrowding is putting a strain on the world as we have more needs and require more space to live, some animals are becoming extinct by people hunting and killing them. Genetically modified food is being used to feed the hungry and increase food productivity.
With all these struggles I think there is a need for healing. There are many initiatives in business for wellbeing, support for mental health and training on Emotional Intelligence. There is also mindfulness, and cultural intelligence training which can bring about a holistic approach to an organisation or community. In the community more is being done around mental health and wellbeing. The older generation is receiving more support as are people with learning difficulties however, more needs to be done in this area. It feels to me that there is a great need for help and support because our surroundings are becoming pressurised. Healing is what we crave to build ourselves up for the next day. Spiritual healing, mental healing and physical healing is sort to repair the damage of society which it appears to be in a confused state. There are embers of humanity of course that make us feel that we must continue to push forward.
Healing of self, healing of community and healing of business life is an important way forward to engage with others and share the challenges that we all face and share the positives too. Unity is key to enable healing to occur. In the space which I operate Equality & Diversity, unity is paramount to ensure discrimination is no longer allowed to thrive. We can make a difference if we are willing to try, that means putting aside differences, understanding others and sharing in the profits of business. This could also be achieved at a community level, as they say in Africa ‘it takes a village to raise a child’. working together can bring about change, understanding difference, it can also bring communities an abundance of knowledge, depth and support.
We must learn to heal to become richer, deeper and more enlightened to face the challenges that may lay ahead.
Quote
“Healing is a strength that can bring you great things, it can also if shared, give great support to others. It is a soft word with great heart and great depth, use it in abundance to help to galvanise you into action, only good can come from it. by Dianne Greyson