Written by: Richard Eckley, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
We are lucky to have been born in this current era. This is a golden age with so much abundance and opportunity compared to past cultures. We have a more affluent life, with more security and much better living conditions. The technology we have, the comfortable homes, transport, healthcare, education, and easy access to food – all of these are advancements compared to only 200 years ago.
Here are a few of the challenges they were facing:
Rural agriculture: The majority of the population lived in rural areas and worked in agriculture. Farming practices were often traditional, relying on heavy manual labour and basic tools.
Industrial revolution: Many people still lived in small rural communities. However, industrialization was leading to the growth of cities and the development of factory-based production.
Urbanization: The conditions in early industrial cities were often harsh, with crowded and unsanitary living conditions, causing the spread of many illnesses and disease.
Working conditions: Factory workers, particularly in textile mills and other early industrial settings, endured long working hours, low wages, and challenging working conditions, with no health care.
Child labor: Children worked in factories and mines, often in dangerous conditions and for very low wages.
Transportation: Transportation improved with the expansion of canals and the development of early railways, but horse and cart were the main mode of transport.
Social class structure: The social class structure was rigid, with a distinct division between the upper, middle, and lower classes.
Education: Education was limited, especially for the lower classes. Children went to work, not school.
Health and sanitation: Public health conditions were often poor. Cities faced challenges related to sanitation, leading to the spread of diseases.
Cultural and social life: Entertainment and leisure activities were different from today. Social life revolved around local communities, churches, and traditional festivals.
And even only 100 years ago, things had improved a great deal, with the challenges they faced sounding similar to some of the events we see happening today:
Post-war challenges: Following the end of World War I, the country was grappling with the aftermath of the conflict. Many men who had served in the war were returning home, and the process of demobilization presented challenges in terms of reintegrating them into civilian life.
Economic impact: The war had a significant impact on the economy. There were economic challenges, including high unemployment rates and inflation. The cost of living increased, and returning soldiers faced difficulties finding employment.
Spanish flu pandemic: The Spanish flu pandemic, which began in 1918 and continued into 1919, had a profound impact on public health. It resulted in a significant number of deaths and added to the challenges faced by communities.
Social unrest: The post-war period was marked by social unrest and discontent. Economic hardships, coupled with the impact of the Spanish flu, contributed to a sense of uncertainty and discontent among the population.
Labor strikes: The year 1919 witnessed a series of labour strikes and industrial unrest. Workers, including those in industries such as coal mining and transportation, went on strike to demand better working conditions, higher wages, and improved labour rights.
We can see each culture has its own challenges and methods to deal with them. Our quality of life has improved so much in just the past 100 years with the development of technologies and improvements in all areas from health and education to transport and access to food. Explaining a supermarket to someone from the 1900s would be met with great scepticism, and having ready-cooked food delivered to your door—they couldn’t even comprehend.
We take so much for granted; we often don’t see how fortunate we are, only focusing on the things we don’t have and the problems we are immediately facing. Instead of being grateful for winning the life lottery being born in this current era—with so much taken care of—if we were transported back in time 100 years, we would soon appreciate the abundant life we currently have and all the opportunities that are out there waiting for us. If we just take the time to think about what it is we want in life, then start to change ourselves so we become the person that would have those things, there is nothing we can’t achieve.
It all starts with our mind and how we are developing it. Your current belief system was installed in you by your parents or guardian growing up. They instilled their beliefs in you as your mind was soaking up all the experiences, sights, and sounds of your childhood. These were stored in your subconscious mind and are your reference library for any future decisions you make, as you always make choices based on the experiences you have already had. If you had some bad experiences growing up, these usually will be stored at the top as they have a strong emotion tied to them. So when a similar circumstance happens, your mind delves back, remembering that past event, and you avoid taking action in case the bad experience happens again. Alternatively, if you have more good experiences growing up, these will have been stored at the top of your subconscious so you will probably be more likely to be open to trying new things and improving your life.
We have all created our own life during the past 5 years. All our thoughts, decisions, and actions have led us to the life we currently have, whether we like it or not. We have created it. The good news is it means we can create our future self over the next 5 years, but not if we hold on to the negative thoughts and experiences we may have had over the past 5 years. These need to be let go, as they will only hold you back, preventing any progress you want to make. This story reminds us of that…
A senior monk and a junior monk were on a journey together, and at one point, they faced a river with a strong current. As they prepared to cross, they noticed a young and beautiful woman attempting to navigate the river. She asked for their help to cross to the other side.
The two monks exchanged glances, aware of the vows they had taken not to touch women. However, without uttering a word, the senior monk lifted the woman, carried her across the river, gently placed her on the other side, and continued their journey.
The younger monk couldn’t believe what the senior monk had just done. As they walked together, an hour passed in silence, then two, and three. Unable to contain himself any longer, the younger monk finally spoke, "As monks, we are not permitted to touch a woman. How could you carry her on your shoulders?"
The older monk looked at him and calmly replied, "Brother, I set her down on the other side of the river. Why are you still carrying her?" This tale imparts a profound lesson about releasing unnecessary burdens and things that have happened in the past, not allowing past actions to weigh us down in the present by continuing to dwell on them.
What do you need to let go of so you can move your life forward?
Find out how to Master your Mindset and move your life forward in this new book about to be published “Mastering your Mindset” contact egcs24@yahoo.com and start learning today.
Richard Eckley, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Richard Eckley is the founder of The Eckley Global Community school, a movement teaching the 4 keys to success health, wealth, relationships and mindset. After his 20-year marriage ended in divorce, he was left a single dad with 3 teenage kids, he wanted to give them a guide to know everything would be ok. He has studied personal development for 30 years giving him an in-depth knowledge. He then wrote his first book ( Your 4 keys to a healthier happier you) a starting point to this process, this led on to deeper dive books in his ( coffee reads) series and the development of the Eckley Global Community School working with local schools and individual students in 5 countries. His ethos: create the life you want
