Appreciating the Leadership in the USA 🇺🇸

A lot of people I know watching the USA Presidential candidate debate last week responded with “I can’t believe these are the choices we have".

Instead, I’m marveling at the background success that makes this refrain even possible:

(1) The US systems run effectively enough that we live in wildly peaceful, safe, and prosperous times (relative to most of history) for the vast majority of people (more than ever in history). In some real sense, our president can be incompetent and the USA still allows for historically unprecedented levels of prosperity, equality, and freedom. Thank you to the incredible leaders currently making that happen, and those who created the systems and cultures that continuously support us.

(2) Our culture has evolved to the point that we expect good, honest, capable leadership.

We deeply need changes—but I’m a little miffed to throw this caveat in, because one of my points is that when we’re focused on what could be better, we’re generally not present to what is. This is as true of our social and governmental systems as it is of our self-systems. “Being with what’s here” asks us to be present to what’s working, alongside future grief, alongside wanting change, alongside everything else. 

Plus, our meaning making will always be biased. Our brains are wired to look at what isn’t working. That’s fine—I’ve got plenty of disappointment, longing for something better, and fire burning making these better things happen (Relatefulness, UpTrust, etc). Recognizing that my awareness is already with what’s working, whether or not I’m conscious of it, gives me more space to compassionately hold myself and others in the places we’re scared, hurting, unsure, and wishing someone better would step up to the plate.

By the way—that “someone better”, is us. Maybe you’re the kind of person who can have a decisive impact on the outcome of this election, but I am not. I am the kind of person who has a decisive impact on how I show up, the standards I live by, the people I forgive, the love I hold, the boundaries I recognize that help me love more brilliantly than I knew was possible.

If there’s one leader to invest most in, it’s you. What you appreciate appreciates, so appreciating yourself is a good start. So, when considering the election (including your thoughts on RFK, shout-out to Yvonne and Cindy) and the feelings that arise in response: May we love the bits of our being that hate the options we have, can’t stand it and project our own failings onto the politicians, but let the bigger part of ourselves shine forth as an exemplar of the better leadership, acting speaking and even thinking with the higher integrity and deeper self-responsibility we know is possible, and creates a better world.

WIth love, Jordan