Over the past few years, I’ve been sitting with a question that feels increasingly urgent: how can we live a fulfilling and abundant life in a world where peace and safety are shattered by the greed and destruction of a powerful few? Every day, we witness horrors on our screens—events too vast, too brutal for our human minds to properly process or integrate. And yet, they are presented as if this were a normal part of life.
Our current systems prioritize profit over people, short-term gain over sustainability, and exploitation over interdependence. This creates a world where humanity and the planet are degraded for the benefit of shareholders. It can feel overwhelming, even hopeless.
Yet in all this chaos, I’ve found a guiding truth: the opposite of destruction is connection. The antidotes to fear and despair are community, compassion, and conscious choices. Where we spend our hard-earned money matters, because boycotts and ethical support can influence the global system, one choice at a time.
Here in Stroud, we are fortunate. We are surrounded by ancient woodlands and rare grassland commons, and we can witness sunrises and sunsets from epic, grounding places. But it’s not just nature that sustains us—it’s the people and spaces we share. Places like The Long Table, The Sub Rooms, The Crown and Sceptre, and The Albert allow us to gather, eat, dance, chat, and feel connected.
I’ve been focusing on these small yet profound acts: connecting with kindred spirits, creating community, and looking for glimmers of hope. I stand against injustice and stand for fairness and kindness. Even when the world feels overwhelming, we can choose what we support economically, and we can be together to create moments of joy and magic. And these moments ripple outward, quietly transforming the world around us.
If we all focused on connection, compassion, and conscious action, imagine the world we could build. This revolution isn’t waiting for anyone else—it starts with each of us, in our communities, in our choices, and in the ways we care for one another.
I’m Clare Honeyfield, a founder, community business expert, consultant, coach, and author based near Stroud. Through Consistency Coven, I support people who are actively building a better world—one project, one connection, one magical moment at a time.
