If I had the power to redesign the world in one small way, I'm sure there would be endless options to choose from. I say this because the world has evolved in so many directions that deciding what to change feels like going to a clinic to solve one health problem and realizing that there's three other diagnosis that needs attention.
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From the way we treat mental health topics, to how we care for our planet, to how we respond to political crises and the failings of our governments, there is a significant number of things that needs intervention. However, if I could redesign the world in one small way today, I would prioritize early emotional education for everyone. I would focus on shaping a world that allows us to connect more deeply with ourselves, a world that teaches us to recognize our emotions and resolve the internal conflict that torments our minds without bruising ourselves any further.
Again, I say this as someone who grew up without understanding many of my feelings or knowing how to navigate them.
I remember demonizing most of my emotions because I considered them less valid for a human being to have. Each time I felt anger towards an older person, fear from being timid, or jealousy for a life I wished I had, I blamed myself for all of it and felt ashamed. All of these things happened because I grew up in a society that did not normalize emotional education early on, one where everyone expects you to be righteous with your feelings and suppress whatever does not seem conventional.
Now, I imagine a world where we are all taught to identify and embrace our emotions, and eventually given the tools and the right communities to help us understand and navigate how we feel without shame, but with the same dedication we put into our careers, love lives, and schoolwork. I believe that making emotional education a core part of growing up would produce more adults who can effectively communicate how they feel instead of bottling up everything inside of their hearts. I'm also convinced that if we normalized sharing how we feel without the fear of external judgement, a lot of us would be able to resolve our internal conflicts before they progress into something that takes years to heal from.
So, I know for a fact that the world I would redesign would give birth to kinder communities that see vulnerability as a strength rather than weakness, homes that would understand us even on the days we choose to sit quietly with the silence, and systems that would prioritize our mental health before push comes to shove. And even though this sounds like a dream that would never be achieved fully in our lifetime, I do hope and pray everyday that the world gets better and kinder for our sake.
This post is a response to Question 1 of the Ladies of Hive weekly contest, which you can find HERE.
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