105 The Real Game of Missing Money What Can I Do? Facing the challenges of the reengineering of the federal budget can seem overwhelming and can even reduce us to a sense of hopelessness. You ask yourself, “I am only one per- son, what can I do?” Let me assure you that indeed each one of us can do a lot. First of all, we can act to protect our families and ourselves as much as possible from being drained and defrauded. Tremendous energy and resources can be gained when you stop feeding the parasite, and instead feed yourself and those whom you love. This in- cludes putting as much distance as possible between you, your health, and your resourc- es and the people and institutions that are currently harming and harvesting you. It also includes shifting where we invest our time and resources, including building new skills. Second, we can save time by not pursuing fake solutions—things that make us feel good temporarily but lead to no real change and distract us and drain more resources. Third, our shift of consciousness can have a profound impact on the general shift in conscious- ness that is underway. Indeed, a shift in consciousness is required for real solutions to gain popu- lar momentum. Finally, we can organize with family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and local organizations to bring transparency to federal finances in our area and look for ways to reengineer those finances that help rebuild the economy in a manner that serves us well and those around us. Finding ways of attracting young people and advanced technology back to Main Street and shifting current expenditures on things which drain communities—such as lottery sales and hard narcotics—back into productive activities and enterprises is critical to this effort. I call this process “Coming Clean.” As each one of us comes clean and withdraws from that which is harmful to ourselves and to others and instead engages with that which brings life and vitality, the easier it is for the next person to do so as well. There is a wealth of information at the Solari website (solari.com) and available to subscribers of The Solari Report to help you explore the many options for you to Come Clean. In response to requests of subscribers, we will publish a collection on Coming Clean in book form this Spring. If you sign up for our updates, you will be notified when it is available. You can sign up for up- dates at https://solari.com/updates/ and subscribe to The Solari Report at https://shop.solari.com/. I have found that Coming Clean is a lifelong process—a journey. Start with what saves you time and gives you energy and work out from there. Each person is different, with each of us having our own unique talents and situations. Conclusion I do not have confidence in solutions that can be crafted inside the Washington beltway. The current financial challenges in the federal budget reflect deeply ingrained conflicts and even vio- lent tensions within our society. I do have confidence in extraordinary environmental health and financial wealth that is possible if each one of us takes responsibility to proceed to Come Clean and build our future regardless. Consider this an invitation to begin. As the composer John Cage once said, “Begin anywhere.”