Terrorism: It is on the minds and hearts of us all in these troubling times. What is it that fuels the need to inflict terror, and what can we do as a people to begin to heal these rifts within our communities?

When we look at incidents like those in Paris and San Bernardino, we see acts of terrorism based on isolation and the idea of an “other”—the illusion of separation. Terrorists think that they are separate from those they terrorize, truly believing that they exist outside of the human family, outside of society, and therefore having nothing to lose. We continue to hear about isolated individuals being lured into ISIS. Why is that? They are looking for hope beyond a world that has disappointed them, and they find that hope in the promise of an afterlife available to them through their death. Quite simply, people who are happy don’t blow themselves up.

Systemic Isolationism

The problem of isolation is a systemic one that affects us all. Think of the simple act of tuning out the world around you by using your ear buds to listen to music. Think of the way we avoid eye contact and bury ourselves in our phones or tablets or books. The more we shut others out, the more alone we feel. Even so-called “social” media perpetuates the idea of separation through its very format of connecting with others from behind a screen. The more separated we become, the more fearful we become of others. This, truly, is at the heart of terrorism. Fear creates fear; love creates more love.

Our current paradigm of separation and a me vs. them mentality has created a world in which there is very little opportunity for many people in developing countries, not to mention for marginalized groups here in the United States. When people are deprived of economic opportunity, they are deprived of hope. To create opportunity, we need to cultivate a pervasive sense of connection between all peoples and the whole of humanity. So, how do we do that?

Creativity Is the Key

One global value that can help us to connect is creativity. Our purpose in life is to create and express ourselves in our own unique and diverse ways. We are the creators and architects of our world. Our will and state of mind lead to our actions, which then create a world that reflects our intentions. If we create in collaboration with life, we can manifest species-wide evolution.

We are all creators. We create our own lives in the context of everyone’s collective choices and, together, we create our collective reality. Our power to choose is like a laser directing our intention and energy toward the goals that we set. If we choose out of fear, separation and isolation, we create more fear, separation and isolation. If we choose out of love, respect and honor for each other, we create a world that supports love, respect and honor for all things. In this way, our thoughts manifest into form.

Healing the seeds of terrorism requires a creative, holistic approach. We are one people and we are in this boat together. If one side of the boat is leaking, the whole boat sinks. We must shift from isolation and competition to connection and collaboration. We all win by being kind to each other; we are safer and more secure when people are happy.

Show that you care, not just with a banner, but with your values and actions that reflect those values. Move from fear to love. Choose love over and over again. As we transform ourselves, together, we will transform our communities, our social structures and the world.

Karin Miller is Vice President and General Counsel of a major entertainment industry consortium. Active in the mind, body and spirit communities for over ten years, she served as pro bono counsel to Marianne Williamson for the formation of the Peace Alliance and as an Advisory Board Member to the Alliance for a New Humanity, chaired by Deepak Chopra. Karin founded Our New Evolution (ONE) to connect and empower people and projects that are aligned with Global Values—the heart of Karin’s new book, Global Values: A New Paradigm for a New World. Visit www.OurNewEvolution.org.