This post is about the benefits of thinking globally.
“Think globally, act locally”, is the most iconic, widely used, and actionable phrase regarding global mindset, often attributed to environmental movements to bridge large-scale awareness with immediate community action. It urges awareness of global issues while making a difference through local, manageable actions.
But, what does it really mean to think globally? We are kept so busy day to day that we often don’t take time to think beyond our immediate challenge or our short term goals. The idea that we could somehow affect the greater world outside of us seems foreign. And yet, there is no doubt that the consequences of our actions and decisions are much greater than we often anticipate.
Thinking globally gives us a chance to see how we impact the larger picture of the world around us. We know that when we do something at work, it often impacts many more people than we expect it to. How often have you made a decision about something and thought you informed all the affected parties, just to find out that there were even more people who were affected that you hadn’t even thought about? This gives us an insight into the impact that our actions have that we are often unaware of.
It’s easy for us to experience tunnel vision when we haven’t given thought to what’s happening in the rest of the country or the world. Having recently traveled outside of the U.S., I was again reminded of the benefits of exposing myself to another culture, to different cuisine, to other people’s daily customs. All of this gives me relativity about my own life and increases my appreciation for the life I have and gratitude for my quality of life.
Thinking globally means thinking intentionally about how our actions reverberate throughout the environment. This includes everything from working on a community support campaign to remembering to re-cycle paper at work or in our homes. We are all connected to the world around us and each of us has an opportunity to stop and think about our impact upon it.
Kathleen