A couple weeks ago we celebrated our Independence Day, 4th of July, and watching Shiloh today made me think about this idea of Independence vs. Interdependence. Being free and being independent, I think is somewhat of an illusion.
We are really more interdependent than we think. Interdependence is a mutual dependence between things. We are interdependent on a global level, with other countries, we are interdependent in our relationships and we are interdependent within ourselves, with our thoughts, feelings, behaviors and results.
We can’t compartmentalize one thing, for instance, believing that negative thoughts won’t affect anything else or feelings of overwhelm or anxiety won’t affect your relationships or health is just not true and they don’t operate in a vacuum. Your thoughts create feelings and feelings create more thoughts. Thoughts live in the head and feelings live in the body and they are always affecting each other. So the quality of these matter, if they tend to be more negative or self deprecating, then the interdependence will follow along those lines and create exactly what you don’t want within your behaviors and choices and ultimately with your results.
I think about those times in our lives when we want to be independent. It starts when we are toddlers, then as teens, then as we enter the workforce and so on in our lives as we grow and seek what we want, when we want. Although as I’ve gotten older, I’ve been more intrigued with this idea of interdependence.
We see it everywhere in biology and in nature. The symbiotic relationships between animals and plants, plants and plants, animals and animals are all around us and even within us. We have bacteria, collectively called normal flora, that live in our digestive tract and helps us digest our food and makes sure our systems work most effectively.
I love that interdependence is all around us and the understanding that everything in our life either creates what you want in your goals, vision, mission, relationships, career, health, etc. or not. If changes have to be made, it usually starts at the thought level. It has been said that thoughts create our reality and we become what we think about, so understanding the interdependent and interconnected relationship between our thoughts, feelings, moods, behaviors, reactions, perceptions and results is huge in creating the life you want.
If there is something in your life that isn’t going the way you want or the results you’re achieving aren’t quite there, think about that interdependent relationship and where maybe that shift needs to happen.
For instance, creating a change at the thought level often starts with quieting the mind and creating more peace and calm with prayer, meditation, visualization and intention. Making a shift at the physical level by choosing foods and exercise that energize the body enhance the interdependent relationship between psychology and physiology. The list goes on and on, and it all starts with you!
Thinking of this past Independence Day, and watching Shiloh run so free today reminded me that we are not always as free as we think we are. There is an interdependence and interconnectedness within us and all around us.
Interdependence is a higher value than independence
~Stephen Covey~
