I know in light of some crazy things that are going on on the planet some of us are inclined to think there is nothing we can do to change that. That is not true. There is a lot you can do.

This situation, as it is, has crept up on us, and we've lost perspective. We have to regain our perspective in all areas of our life.

First, we don't need to be as busy as we are. We just think we do. It happened to us, and here we are not even having a moment to assess what's really going on with our life and what it is we really want. Our core belief, that keeps us running at a frenzied pace, is that we have no choice. But we do have a choice.

Stop. Look at what you're doing. Do you really want the life you have? Do you really need all the objects that you own? Or have you been brainwashed into believing these things. Are they making you happy? Is it what you really want?

You can design your life to match your values and have what is really important to you.

In running so fast we're reacting to the world, not acting in it. We're no longer conscious and making choices. We are automatons. We do things that, if we stopped to think about it, are not are truth. We have to slow down enough to live our truth.

In the process of reacting we hurt other people, not just us. It's our way of adding to the craziness of the world. That's our daily contribution to the present madness. And we don't even know we're doing it. We feel justified in our actions. We have been wronged in some way, didn't get what we wanted, so we sanction our reactive hostile, angry, mean, hurtful, etc., behavior. There we go adding our part to the madness which we reject, react to, then engage in and make larger.

You can change the world! All you have to do is not contribute to the madness. Don't react. Act constructively.

When faced with situations that evoke anger, stop and think of a constructive way to handle the situation.

If you can do this moment to moment every day, you will be changing the world.

As you touch others with constructive actions, you change their energy. Then they go out into the world with the new positive attitude and can do the same for others.

If we were all to act constructively with good will, good intentions, steering volatile situations towards peace, we would change our world at the core, and bring in a new world of peace and light.

This is hugely challenging for all of us, but it is a worthy challenge. And in reality, there is no other option if we, as a species, are to survive on the planet.

Start today! Start this moment! Be the one to change the world! Be the one strong enough to choose your actions, instead of reacting. Be the one who is strong enough to turn a nasty situation to a positive one. Be the hero to bring world peace.

Most of us have difficulty with the way people act sometimes. We want them to act differently, in a way that makes us happier, more comfortable.

If you have big challenges in this department, you're always in pain and suffering because of other people's actions. Truly it's the worst kind of enslavement. You obsess about it, you try to change their behavior, you argue, usually with little or no result.

Without a doubt this is a hard lesson.

Bottom line, as I'm sure you have heard often, is that you can't control other people's behavior, you can't control what they do or say.

Worst yet, sometimes their actions effect our lives in horrendously deleterious ways. And we have more cause, we can be morally justified, to object to their behavior and insist on a change.

And they don't change.

So you feel powerless, trapped, hurt and miserable.

So, what do you do?

First I want to say that A Course in Miracles (check out Marianne Williamson's talks on A Course in Miracles), and the work of Byron Katie addresses this issue directly and effectively, and if you feel drawn to check them out, do. They may help you.

Otherwise, this is the answer and it's really subtle so you need to give it a bit of consideration.

First, people will act and do and say as they want. There is not much you can do to control that.

Their actions are powered by their own understanding of the world, their own issues and fears. Most of the time they have absolutely nothing to do with you. Even though it looks and feels that way.

If you can, sort of move back and view this from a distance, seeing them act as they are acting because that's just them. Like a car honking at you in traffic. Sure it can annoy you, but it doesn't have to if you look at it as that they are having an issue. It has nothing to do with you.

You can let it go and move on.

Second scenario, someone acts in a way that damages your life in a real way. They damage your property, maybe are physically abusive, maybe through some lie jeopardize your career or finances, and so on, what do you do then?

Same as above with an additional component.

You see their behavior as their issue. They will be doing this whether you are there or not, so it's not about you.

Now, here's the difference. You look around at your damaged furniture, the finances, the bruises and you decide: I don't like this. This does not work for me. You ask yourself, what would I like to do? What will work for me?

You answer those questions, and you take action based on your answers.

You don't need to stay around and argue and try to change their behavior -- because you can't. But that does not mean you're powerless. It means that you actually think about yourself and you decide to take action on your own behalf by moving in the direction of creating circumstances that are better for you.

That's how you move from that point of obsession, powerlessness, helplessness and suffering. You just have to know that you can have something considerably better for yourself. You do not need to suffer. You can move toward peace and joy.

It's pretty obvious it's an intense time on the planet. A lot of uncertainty. Everyone's center of being is brought into question. Certainly I sense tremendous fear. People are on edge. Feeling so threatened, we are inclined to react.

And here is the lethal part:  without noticing, that's all we do, react to situations that threaten us.

Pretty soon we are in the mix of anger, hate, revenge, manipulating people and situations to our own ends, to secure our safety and that which we want.

We are now adding to the problem.

Worse yet, we have become the very thing we have been fighting!

All without noticing what we have been doing and what we have now become.

I remember long time ago when the movie Caligula came out. Caligula as a ruler was reputed to be insane. The movie slowly draws us into his insanity. As the movie continued, I noticed I had become immune to the insanity and was accepting it as sanity.

It was a gigantic lesson in how easy it is to be drawn into darkness without ever noticing.

I think we are in these kinds of times where there is a lot of darkness in the world and we are scared, we want to fight it as a way to avoid it.

Here's the thing:  you can't fight darkness. If you try, you become darkness. 

What do you do?

You stay strong in the light.

This takes huge amounts of awareness and effort. Not to react, not to get embroiled in the arguments, the unfairness, the revenge, etc. Yet, there is no other way.

To create light, we have to be the light.

We have to desist from reacting and act constructively by holding the truth, holding the light, being the sanity in the world as it tumbles through its insanity.

So, how do you do this?  You do it daily in the small things. Being aware in the moment. And holding the truth in the moment is where our strength lies.

Today, choose to pay attention, stay aware, don't react, act constructively by staying in truth and light.

If you want to download it, go to Sanaya's website, www.orindaben.com