For Reflection: Before you move on to Mission #8, reflect on yesterday's mission. Do you feel that experiencing authentic connection is a primary driver for you in life?  How might you cultivate more genuine connection in your day to day life? How might you honor it?  I think so. We are not isolated beings, we actualize ourselves in connection with others.  Anything we do becomes better when we connect to others with clarity and connect to their gifts.  "You are the other me.  I am the other you"; an important thought I gathered from my time with the wonderful Buddhist Shinnyo-en Foundation.  The two sentences are simple, but they are hard to turn them into daily actions with empowering everyday kindness.  We challenge people and people challenge us in the best of circumstances.  It is how we react and connect that shows our character and our integrity.    Share your reflections on the Compassion Report Map!

“Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.” -Mark Twain Our eighth mission, Agents, is to confront fear, and unleash the power of our courage. All the great surprises in store for us in our life exist in the realm of the unknown. And the unknown can be a truly terrifying place… This is because each and every one of us possesses our own “comfort zone.” Our comfort zone is the place where we feel safe, far away from our fears. Our comfort zones even determine what we believe ourselves to be capable of. Yet the perimeter of our comfort zones are actually defined by fear, and life does not allow us to live in our comfort zones for long. Like the shell of a hermit crab, we outgrow our comfort zones and must seek out more expanded, more beautiful versions of ourselves to live our lives fully. Life inevitably challenges us: if fear overtakes us, we shrink into a shell that doesn’t quite fit us anymore, and our comfort zones become uncomfortable and unfulfilling. But Agents, if we are able to respond with courage, we can enter into a space known as our “stretch zones,” a healthy place between the security of our old comforts and the fear of the unknown. When we are stretching ourselves in this place, we can experience the exhilaration of accomplishing more than we thought we were capable of, mastering our fears with the power of courage. In the following video, Agents Oprah Winfrey and Louie Schwartzberg will guide us through the mystery and science behind courage.   Champions of Compassions   Tune into the Global Unity Telesummit hosted by the Shift Network for the eighth day of the 11 Days of Global Unity! Today’s Telesummit features Gabriela Quntanilla around the eighth theme, Human Rights! Register to join in on the Telesummit for free here! Tomorrow’s Telesummit features speaker Audri Scott Williams around the theme of Freedom! Today marks Day 8 of the Compassion Relay! Team Parliament of the World's Religions has received the Compassion Torch from the Dalai Lama Fellows, Jane Goodall, and Chief Phil Lane Jr.! The Parliament of the World's Religions is bringing the vision of interfaith harmony to the world at this incredible time. Find out more about the vital work of this remarkable Champions of Compassion here! UN's Sustainable Development Goal: Reduced Income Inequalities   Income inequality is a global problem that requires global solutions. This involves improving the regulation and monitoring of financial markets and institutions, encouraging development assistance and foreign direct investment to regions where the need is greatest. Facilitating the safe migration and mobility of people is also key to bridging the widening divide.  Reducing Income Inequalities is one of 17 Global Goals that make up the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to achieve the global unity that we seek. Learn more about the targets for this Goal here. Agents, It's Your Turn! Our mission today, Agents, is to acknowledge one of our fears, and with courage, move toward overcoming it. There are many kinds of fears; they are not all created equal. Some fears are so intimidating that they make us shrink away from life and panic. Even these fears are meant to protect us. For today, however, pick a smaller fear, one that you feel stretched to think about, but not panicked. Maybe you are afraid of being vulnerable with others, or asking for help when you need it. Whatever it is, acknowledge it in your heart. Then, in whatever way you feel inspired to, make an action today that you feel moves you closer to overcoming this fear. Remember that fear reminds us how much we love our life, but courage is what allows us to actually live it! It is your birthright to overcome the fears of your life. As you reveal the power of courage, remember to report your experiences on the Compassion Report Map to inspire others around the world!   Good luck, Agents! P.S. If you wish to do so you can support the work of the Parliament of World's Religions, our featured Champion of Compassion, to spread their remarkable work toward global unity with others!   Sponsors of the Global Unity Games! The Global Unity Games are made possible by the incredible support of Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics and Seattle Chocolates! View All Past Missions!   Previously released Global Unity Gams missions are available to be viewed here! It's never too late to revisit past or missed missions to find inspiration for igniting compassion and unity for the world!