The Good, The Bad and The Ugly: How Do You Change the World?

Recently, I saw an exhibition of paintings by a very talented artist. He clearly has a social conscience and his depictions of the pain and misery of disenfranchised and minority people are so vivid and real you can't help but feel the pain in viewing the paintings.

The artist is a warm, friendly, humble man whom I approached with a question, "does he ever paint another side of life?" He seemed interested in engaging in a conversation about it and frankly I was surprised at myself for even approaching him. I have never considered myself either knowledgeable or beyond too shy to talk about art to an artist this way. But, I felt compelled and in hindsight I know why.

As a '60's activist and an angry idealist, I would have wanted his pictures out there in the face of those whom I and he blamed for the social injustices he expressed so people would realize and wake up.

Well, decades later, I now know that doesn't work. I felt very strongly the pain of his pictures, couldn't view them for long, and also knew if he wanted people to buy them and take them home, he'd have a very small audience.

I asked if he'd consider using his brilliant artistic ability to inspire by painting beauty. I was surprised at what I was saying, because I have obviously metamorphosed from who I was in the past.

About a year ago, I decided that the 11:00 p.m. news was not a good pre-bedtime story and stopped watching it. If you look closely you will note that the "stories" are not necessarily chosen for their importance and useful information, but for entertainment and sensationalism. I can honestly say, my sense of well being has improved. When I watched the 11:00 p.m. news, my anxiety level heightened and with that I foolishly tried to begin a restful night's sleep.

As I thought about this man's art, honest as it is, it does not depict most of life. My new thoughts are that if we flood the world with goodness, inspirations, success, potential and love, my bet would be we'd get more of it. We don't get beauty by flooding the world with pain and horror. That just makes most people want to run away into denial.

The question I ask is, do you get more impetus for social change by showing people what is ugly or what is beautiful: what they want less of or more of?

As a coach I concentrate on helping my clients identify what they have that they want more of and downplay the opposite. My vote is that an atmosphere of goodness, beauty, open-mindedness, ability, talent, strengths and love will produce more of the same. Ugliness will produce more ugliness. Is this social art equivalent to the sensationalism of the 11 o'clock news?

About The Author

Dorene Lehavi, Ph.D. is principal of Next Level Business and Professional Coaching. She coaches Professionals and Business Partners and teaches teleclasses on techniques to break through barriers to the next level. Dr. Lehavi offers a complimentary coaching session so you can experience how coaching can work for you. Contact Dr. Lehavi at Dorene@CoachingforYourNextLevel.com or on the web at Http://www.CoachingforYourNextLevel.com. Subscribe to Mastering Your Next Level monthly e-newsletter at http://www.coachingforyournextlevel.com/newsletter.html

dorene@nextlevelpartnership.com

---

Free Advice From Albert Einstein

What If You Could Ask Anyone For Help?Have you ever... Read More

Buyer Beware: Choose A Business Coach Carefully To Get The Results You Want

Consider this scenario. A colleague suggests you get a business... Read More

How to Quickly and Easily Deal With Rude People

Where I live there seems to be a a growing... Read More

How to Make $100,000 Dollars as a Personal Trainer ? Part B for Business!

My name is Greg Ryan. For the last twenty years... Read More

Seeing Your Energy At Work

Our bodies are made of pure energy. With Quantum physics... Read More

Controlling Behavior, Loving Behavior

When Zack and Tiffany started counseling with me, they were... Read More

Corporate Coaching - Why Coach? C(5)+ED

Is it possible to make a strong "business case for... Read More

Why Things Are The Way They Are

Things are the way you think they are, because you... Read More

Coaching Can Help Teachers At A Crossroads In Their Careers

Teachers enter the profession with the desire to help others,... Read More

Its Not What You Think

My work in organizations involves dropping habitual ways of perceiving... Read More

Whats in it for me if I Hire A Coach?

1. An unshakable foundation:Create and build your life from the... Read More

Freedom for All; Is it Possible?

Freedom for all species and people, and freedom of stress;... Read More

New Definition of Retirement

A new definition of retirement is evolving. It's one that's... Read More

The Right Time and Place

(Channelled)Roy?I am sending you this quote from Sōtō Zen, Dōgen's... Read More

You Have A Choice

I'm a relationship coach and, unlike most, I deal with... Read More

Making Communication Effective: 4 Language Filters

Language is a challenging way to communicate. It allows us... Read More

Still Wondering About Coaching?

A friend called me the other day from Lower Alabama.... Read More

Are You At The Point Of No Return?

There is a point at which everything becomes simple and... Read More

Simple Tips to Move Forward on the Job

Someone I know wants to move into another job in... Read More

Grow Through It

It's past bedtime for most working men. It's not unbearably... Read More

The Self Development Tool Box

Do you have a self-development toolbox? Do you have a... Read More

Good, Good, Good, Good Intentions

I always do a lot of thinking about good intentions... Read More

Whats Wrong with Life Coaching?

As a Life Coach I quickly identified most individuals wanted... Read More

Listening Skills In Relationships

Recently, when out to dinner with another couple, my husband... Read More

New Developments Make Christian Life Coaching ?The? Career Choice for Work-At-Home Professionals

I have watched for a couple years now, as my... Read More

Leading Grief Groups: The Preliminaries

Preparation: If you desire advertising the group, announcements need to... Read More

Can I Be My Own ADD Coach?

Quite often I am in contact with people who discuss... Read More

The $10,000,000.00 Question

When I asked my client, Amanda, what she would do... Read More

10 Things I Wish I Would Have Known Before I Went Into the Real World

I must confess, I laughed when I saw that Maria... Read More

Coaching for Success

Coaching is perhaps the most effective method of increasing performance... Read More

Things Are Good Because I Say They Are

The subject of positive self talk regarding our goals and... Read More

How Does Sports Coaching Differ from Corporate Coaching?

Athletes Versus EmployeesMost athletes are young, open to improvement, eager... Read More

What is the Success Lesson in this Story?

One of my clients gave me permission to tell you... Read More