Author: Matthew Vasko

Writer, Speaker, Educator
peace, Uncategorized, Well-Being

War Is An Interpersonal Problem

Matthew Vasko

When you stop and think about it, war is, at its root, an interpersonal problem. Consider it. Wars start because a couple of people – leaders – were unable to resolve their differences peacefully.

This gives us a very different perception of war, doesn’t it? Rather than thinking of war as some inevitable clash between powers, it lays bare the fact that if people in leadership would simply slow down and take more time to resolve differences amicably, then wars could quickly become a thing of the past.

Wars always end in negotiations. So why not just skip the killing and bloodshed and go straight to negotiations? This is how we create a world of peace: We teach our leaders that we want peaceful resolutions to conflict. We make them work their shit out.

Wherever there are people, it seems, there will always be conflict. Still, conflict can be resolved through sitting down and talking until resolution is achieved. The results might be different than if armed battle occurred before the talking, but maybe not by much.

For example, after World War II, national boundaries returned pretty much right back to the way they were before the war. Russia is at war with Ukraine now, but after the war is over – after however many years – the international community with see to it that Russia returns Ukraine’s territory back to them. And how many more lives must be taken before that happens?

It’s time that citizens start to speak up more loudly that we want an end to armed conflict. We need to tell our leaders that the time has come to negotiate peaceful resolutions to problems rather than constant war and death.

It’s going to take a body like the UN working to draft a Universal Declaration of Peace and then setting up a neutral location for nations to negotiate peace in order for this change to happen.

It probably sounds like science fiction, but it just might be achievable in our lifetimes. The world is changing rapidly. Communication is better than ever. With the proper political will, lasting peace can and will be achieved. We just have to want it badly enough to prioritize peace over war.

All the best,

Matthew Vasko

Founder, Century of Compassion

Photo Credit: VectorStock

meaning, Uncategorized, Well-Being

10 Ways to Add Meaning to Life

Matthew Vasko

It’s common to be moving through life, doing your best to balance all your responsibilities and enjoy what leisure time you have and still be fighting a constant nagging feeling that something is missing. That thing, we often find, is a greater sense of meaning.

With that in mind, here is a list of 10 things you can do to add greater meaning to your life. Effort has been made to make these items that are accessible, doable, and that do not require major life changes.

1. Slow Down – Making an effort to slow our pace can help us become more aware of moments that might otherwise be lost to us. Pay attention to your surroundings and observe details like a colorful wild flower or beautiful sunset.

2. Appreciate the Little Things – Our days are filled with beautiful little moments if we make an effort to appreciate them. Smelling the coffee grounds while we are making our morning coffee can help provoke meaningful connection to the Earth, listening to the song of a bird can help lift our spirits, and so on.

3. Brighten Someone’s Day – Whenever you feel like you don’t matter, go and do something kind for someone else. You will quickly be reminded that you very much matter and that what you do matters.

4. Be of Service – This is similar to the last one, but on a grander scale. Volunteer in a soup kitchen, plant some trees, paint a community center… Acts of altruism pay us back many times over with the meaning that they add to our lives.

5. Practice Mindfulness – Studies show that a regular mindfulness practice can lift our mood and help us make meaning of otherwise mundane tasks. One such practice is mindful eating. Rather than simply shoveling the food in, pay close attention to your eating. Smell the food, notice how it feels in your mouth, really take the time to taste it, and reflect upon how the food’s ingredients were grown, picked, cooked, etc. All of these things combined make eating more meaningful and less just something you do every day.

6. Ask People How They Are Doing And Really Mean It – Take the time to show someone you care about them by asking them how they are and really listening to their answer. If they say they’re just “OK” then unpack that. Why are they just OK? What’s bringing them down? Can you be of assistance? You’ll be surprised how taking the time to care deeply about others will help make your life more meaningful.

7. Tell People How Much They Mean to You – It’s easy to think that people know how highly we think of them, but the fact is that people don’t know unless we tell them. And you might be surprised how hard people can be on themselves. Everyone likes to hear nice things about themselves. This one will add more meaning to your life and theirs.

8. Write a Thank You Note – This one is like the last one on steroids. Imagine what it would mean to you to know that you made a difference in someone’s life. You possess the power to make that happen for someone else! Write to someone who has made a positive impact in your life and let them know how you feel. It will be meaningful for you both.

9. Be Affectionate – Touch can be powerful. And affectionate touch can be highly meaningful. Keep in mind that consent is vital, but if the other person views it positively then affection is a wonderful way to add meaning to healthy relationships.

10. Discover Your Passions! – Is there anything you’re passionate about? If not, then you’re simply not getting to most out of life. Keep searching until you find one or two things that really excite you. Participating in engaging activities or hobbies can add mounds of meaning to our lives. It doesn’t have to be expensive; maybe you’re passion is hiking, biking, or volunteering. The important thing is to do things that matter to you and live it up!

All the best,

Matthew Vasko

Founder, Century of Compassion

family, Uncategorized, Values

What if Everyone Was a Billionaire?

Matthew Vasko

If you were to interact with a billionaire, do you think you would treat them in a special way? It seems like society conditions us to treat wealthy people better than the average person – especially if that wealthy person can do something for us, like patronize our business.

If you think you would treat a billionaire better than the average person then here is an interesting mental exercise for you: For a whole day, treat everyone like they are a billionaire.

This could be a highly enlightening experience. Perhaps you will find yourself giving everyone more of your time and attention. Maybe you will suddenly find everyone a whole lot more interesting. Maybe everyone’s problems will seem more important. Who knows!

Really though, when it comes right down to it, there is no difference between billionaires and everyone else. Well, except that we love and care about the regular people in our lives and we probably don’t even know any billionaires. And the people we see everyday probably care about us. So, what are we saving it for? Why don’t we treat the people we know and care about as well as we would treat billionaires?

The people we love most and who love us are truly priceless. So we should treat them the best of anyone. In the grand scheme of things, they’re better for our overall well-being than any billionaire will probably ever be.

Try the exercise, see if it changes the way you treat others, and then report back! I’d love to read your comments.

With love,

Matthew Vasko

Founder, Century of Compassion

Love

Love Adds Meaning to Life

Matthew Vasko

People sometimes ask me what is the meaning of life. I’ve pondered this question for much of my life and more and more I feel like the answer has to do with love. I think it goes something like this: We exist to love others and to be loved in return, and it is this love which gives life meaning.

Fred Rogers once said, “It all comes down to love. Love or the lack of it.” Isn’t that the truth? Think of all the times that your life was shaped by love or the lack of it.

So, love. All kinds of love. Romantic love, familial love, the love that exists between good friends, the love we extend to strangers… all this love. It gives life meaning. Certainly if it is not the meaning of life then it at least certainly adds meaning to life. It begs the question… why aren’t we better at it? Why don’t we spend more time teaching it?

There are five key ingredients to loving people and loving them well. They are kindness, respect, empathy, compassion, and acceptance. That last one is the hardest, but it also helps to generate unconditional love, which is the greatest love we can give.

Think for a moment about about kindness. This is the low bar of love. Being kind when your aim is to be loving is the very least you can do. Somehow, however, we can sometimes manage to be the least kind to the people we love the most. We use up all our kindness out in the world and then by the time we get home our kindness tanks are on empty. We need to be sure to save some kindness for those who matter most to us.

Respect is a true test of love. You’ve got to give people respect if you love them. This simple fact is sometimes lost on people, but the fact is that a lack of respect can result in some of the greatest injuries in life. This is a big one we need to teach our children – if you want to be loving towards someone be sure to be respectful towards them (even siblings!). A lack of respect always feels like the opposite of love, and respect is always well received.

Empathy is the human trait that is all too often undervalued. Feeling like those who love us truly “get” us is a magical feeling. Empathy is the key that unlocks connection. When we empathize with others it allows us to form deeper and stronger connections that can last a lifetime. Believe it of not, empathy is especially important with young children. We need to remember that we were little once and the world was once big, scary, and often overwhelming. With little ones we need to slow down, be patient, and do our best to empathize with their big feelings.

And this brings us to acceptance. To accept others exactly as they are is powerful and often can even be healing. Every person – universally – does better when they experience acceptance, especially from their immediate family. Love that includes accepting people as they are is the definition of unconstitutional love. This is the greatest kind of love and the love that many people long for. Everyone needs love and acceptance.

So there you have it. Love adds meaning to life. And the better we love people the better off they are. Do your best to love those in your life with kindness, respect, empathy, compassion, and acceptance, and you will be loving them in the best way possible.

With love,

Matthew Vasko,

Founder, Century of Compassion

compassion, connection, Core Four, empathy, kindness, Love, Obliterate Hate, respect, Uncategorized, Values, Well-Being

We All Share A Common Humanity

Matthew Vasko

Stop. Take a breath. Forget about everything you’ve been indoctrinated into over the course of your life. Zoom out on planet Earth. As you look you will see a simple truth: We are all one humanity. There is one human species on this planet and we are all part of it. There is no “us” and “them.” There is just us. All of us. One human race.

This is the simple fact of the matter. When it comes right down to it, we are all more alike than we are different. We all want similar things: love, safety, security, food, water, shelter. We all want to be free to achieve our best version of ourselves and to live our best lives.

With these simple truths in mind we need to learn to live together. We need to learn to get along with one another. We need to learn to respect one another and honor the things in one another that make us different. This is the challenge of our times. This is the path to greater peace and prosperity. This is how we change our shared world for the better.

Don’t buy into the nonsense. Don’t believe those who wish to divide us. They are unwell. They are poisoned by the toxic tribalism that has kept us separated for millennia. We need to grow up as a species and learn to overcome petty differences. Because in the end, we are all capable of getting along with one another and even loving one another.

Love. That’s really what it’s all about. We live to love and be loved. The problem is that not all of us have learned how to love properly. True love does not seek to control. Real love does not do harm. In order to love properly, love must contain four basic elements: kindness, respect, empathy, and compassion. I call these the Core Four.

With the Core Four in place we can learn to love and love well. We can lay a foundation that allows for trust to grow and flourish. We can help each other enrich our wellbeing. The Core Four works on an individual level, on a community level, a national level, and an international level.

We need everyone to embrace and act upon the Core Four. If each individual would learn to treat one another with the Core Four values of kindness, respect, empathy, and compassion we could overcome much of what ails the world. What we need is a Global Covenant to commit ourselves to the Core Four as individuals, communities, societies, and globally.

Such a commitment would be no small feat to be sure, but it’s worth striving for. With the help of the Core Four we could all look forward to an ever brighter future with greater wellness and peace for everyone.

Isn’t life hard enough? Doesn’t nature dish out enough hardship without us making life harder for one another? First, do no harm. Then, love and love well. Love with the principles of kindness, respect, empathy, and compassion always in your heart and mind.

A brighter future is possible.

We each really and truly can make a difference in the world.

Let’s all strive to be the best that we can be and to love one another with the added benefit of the Core Four to guide us.

After all, we all share a common humanity.

Wishing you the very best,

Matthew Vasko

Founder, Century of Compassion.