Years ago, my long-time friend Nancy Kepner and I were sitting outside on a glorious Colorado afternoon. Nancy posed one of the series of provocative questions she is known for, asking,
“If you were to take one action that you think would have the most impact on improving things in our world, what would it be?”
I remember pausing, reflecting. I’d worked as a psychologist and teacher for decades by then, processing personality clashes, emotional turmoil, and the ramifications of trauma with individuals, couples, groups for many thousands of hours. What would make the most difference in alleviating this suffering?
“I’d end blame.”
I’d witnessed so much emotional torment and stuckness arise from blame. Blaming one’s partner, or parents, or kids, or colleagues, or corporation, or government. Blaming unknown “others:” the anonymous “they” behind war, global warming, political strife. And then, of course, the most insidious action of all: blaming oneself.
From a survival standpoint, it makes sense to quickly determine who is causing the problem, and then to try to punish them (or ourselves) so that we stop doing that bad thing. Unfortunately, the efficiency of that knee-jerk reaction doesn’t actually lead to real, lasting change.
The World Beyond Blame Global Movement was born in from that conversation. I had a great time developing concepts, graphics, and processes with folks around me,* including organizing this: the “90 Day Blame-Free Challenge.”
2025 seems like a year where we could use extra help in reclaiming the power that can easily drain away through the hot potato of blame. So we’re dusted off the Challenge, and will start it tomorrow, January 1.
Interested in converting the energy of blame into more fulfilling results? Here’s how this will work:
We’ll put out daily prompts on the Evolutionary Power Institute’s Instagram and Facebook feeds. They’ll all end up on this EPI page, so if you miss one, you can catch up.
Want to have a head start?
Here’s your Day #1 prompt:
Download the document, “Ten Guidelines for Living a Blame-Free Life”. Print it out and find a visible way to keep it in your awareness (put it on the fridge, in your car, on your phone, etc). Get out a journal to really track your progress over these next 89 days.
Eventually, you’ll get a prompt wondering what you’ll do with all of that extra energy that has been going into the bottomless pit of blame. You might want to start dreaming that now…it probably will go into you manifesting your 2025 intentions.
Want to join me in a free manifestation call tomorrow, January 1, from 2-4 MST? Register here.
*Thanks to the Intensive Learning Community, the Boulder Center for Conscious Community, Katie Hendricks, Anna McGrath, Lin Erhart, and many more for cocreating this with me.
Happy new year!
With great respect and love,
Julie