Relationships have the power to transform the world, one person, and one nation at a time.

We are reaching a breakthrough point where it will no longer be possible to stay in a situation that is imbalanced or one-sided, or where its participants can no longer grow.  The power of the words “no” and “goodbye” will take on new significance over these next few years.

F or those who are single, there will be more possibilities but less probability, because we will have to get clear about what we need.  The more honest we are with ourselves about our needs, the less likely we are to choose someone who doesn’t meet those needs. Think of it like a Google search where the list gets more and more precise (and shorter) as we add more words to the search query.

T he longer we hold onto what never worked or no longer works, the more painful the transition. Sometimes people are in our lives for only a season; other times, they are there for a reason: a deep and authentic connection that transforms both lives and, quite possibly, the world.

T he need for respect — and self-respect — has never been greater. Imagine if you were to see each person before you as a soul who has evolved through lifetimes of pain, joy, love, defeat, relationships and more, to get to the point where they are sitting across from you. Would you see them differently?

“If you are willing to look at another person’s behavior toward you as a reflection of the state of their relationship with themselves, rather than a statement about your value as a person, then you will, over a period of time, cease to react at all.” – Yogi Bhajan

A ll too often, our relationships develop around the need to compensate for something that is missing within ourselves: usually unresolved issues from childhood, where we look to those connections to fill a hole in our hearts.  In reality, many relationships are about one person imagining their perfect partner, and then desperately projecting that vision onto someone who bears no resemblance whatsoever to their ideal.  One day they wake up and realize they are in love with a figment of their imagination.

R elationships have the power to transform the world, one person, and one nation at a time. It takes hard work, but it pays off in generous dividends. Ask yourself, which takes longer: trying to fix someone so that they can love you the way you deserve to be loved, or holding out for someone who is loving and self-sufficient? There are  self-cleaning ovens, self-flushing toilets, and now even self-driving cars.  Why not demand a self-actualized significant other who will be there for you? You are worth it!

F or that to work, you have to become that person you want to meet, embodying the qualities you desire in others.  Then, because we live in a world of illusion, you get to meet someone who is a perfect reflection of the new and improved you. It is inevitable: the other person is you!

As more and more of us commit to healing our wounds and then finding others who are also rolling up their sleeves to do the same, there will be less opportunity for anyone to stay small. Healing yourself is healing the world.

You can start today – it’s free!

T he decade of the 2020s is a turning-point: the beginning of an era in human history, where we must emphasize our individual needs equally with those of the broader community and the sustainability of Mother Earth. Eventually, if there is one super-power, then every nation will be a super-power.

T he children coming up in the world now — those who are approximately ten years old and younger — intrinsically understand our interconnectedness. They are already aware of the idea of a global community, one in which people respect one another’s individuality. That generation will also take our technology to new and more conscious levels, to bring people together around common goals. Online platforms will evolve quickly and considerably to become tools to meaningfully connect people in real life, not merely on the Internet. Social mores will also change to inspire people to come out of their private spaces and gather together.

S maller, focused communities will become increasingly important. While currently there is a significant migration towards urban centers, there will be another wave that follows before the end of this new decade – one in which people form unique and individual communities, often away from urban centers and in rural places, made possible by advances in technology and transportation.

Similarly, our global community will become more modular and mobile. It will become commonplace for people to live in multiple cities and even nations, allowing the global community to flourish, in an open-ended way.

Relationships to our “tribes” (people with whom we share common values) will become front and center.

Currently, there are many regional conflicts that threaten the stability of the world. As we move through the decade and beyond, we will begin to see dictatorial leaders dissipate and fail – but they will not go silently into the night. They will initially grow  louder. Perhaps the most common theme in this next decade will be citizens of the world, transcending governmental authority.

Here is a summary of my vision for our collective future: work will become about purpose; values will supplant money as a primary goal (prosperity happens automatically, in the background), and relationships will be meaningful, authentic, respectful and equal or not at all.  Technology will assist a new generation of leaders in bringing us all together for shared interests and collective opportunities. We will be able to live as global citizens, having relationships, in person and otherwise, with people in far-away places, bringing us all closer together — emphasis on together.

All of this will come to pass, in spite of humanity, and because of humanity.