The Self Help Movement
And Collective Well Being

The Self Help Movement And Collective Well Being,
Introduction:

You could be forgiven for thinking that self improvement has little to do with anyone else aside from the person who's actually doing it. However, the effect that our own personal development can have on others shouldn't be underestimated.

Let me start by highlighting a particularly dramatic example:

Between June 7 and July 30, 1993, around 4000 people took part in a mass meditation practice in Washington D.C. The purpose of the study was to see if it would have any affect on the crime rate.

The figures showed a maximum decrease in violent crime of over 23% during the experiment.

The Self Help Movement And Collective Well Being

While the D.C. experiment was a highly co-ordinated group effort, it does illustrate a point; even one person's commitment to a technique such as meditation could affect others, even if only to a small degree.

And while one person's impact might seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things, just consider the cumulative effect, regardless of whether it comes around through individual or group efforts.

By the way, I'm only using meditation as an example. Almost any kind of personal development could have a knock on effect on others in some form or another.

Here's another example: After learning Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), I was fortunate enough to be able to help out friends and family as well as myself. The first time I used EFT with my mum, we managed to reduce the effects of her tinnitus* within 40 minutes (needless to say this came a bit of a shock to both of us!).

For argument's sake, let's say she went on to tell a friend about EFT, and that that friend decided to use the technique to deal with her own issues, those of her friends and family, and so on. See the domino effect in action?

Even something unrelated to a specific technique, like giving up alcohol for a year, can affect people around you, especially those who may be inspired by your actions to do the same thing themselves. And even if they don't, your actions might still encourage others to lead a healthier lifestyle in some form or another.

Don't get me wrong, I would never tell anyone that they 'should' do this or that they 'should' do that (in my experience that's not the best idea!). However, if someone sees something I'm doing and decides to use that same technique for their own personal development, then that's got to be a good thing.

The more you're able to fulfil your potential through your own personal development, the more you're able to offer to those around you and the world in general, regardless of whether or not people follow in your footsteps.

The Self Help Movement And Collective Well Being,
Conclusion:

Our actions are always affecting the world in some way or another. When you throw a stone in a lake, the ripples spread far and wide beyond the point of impact.

Ultimately, this is why the self help movement is such a powerful thing, not only on a personal level, but for our collective well being as a whole.

*P.S. You can read more about using EFT for Tinnitus Relief by clicking here. Alternatively, you can find out more about the benefits of meditation by clicking here!

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