I've been thinking a lot lately about the idea of "being the change you want to see." You have heard it before right? Maybe here …
If we want to see a better world, we have to be the ones to make it happen. It is something that's been resonating with me.
I also know it can be easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and feel like there is not much we can do to make a real difference. But I believe that every little bit helps, and that each one of us has the ability to make a positive impact in the world.
One way we can do that is by being more empathetic. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, when we are empathetic, we are able to connect with others on a deeper level, and we're able to see the world through their eyes. And when we do that, we're better able to understand and address the issues that are important to them.
It is not just about understanding others, it is also about taking action. That is where the idea of "being the change you want to see" comes in. When we see something in the world that we want to change, we should not just sit back and hope that someone else will take care of it. We have to take responsibility for making it happen.
For me, that means being more conscious of my own actions and how they impact others. It means taking the time to listen to people's stories and perspectives, even if they are different from my own. It means using my resources, even if the reach seems small, to make a positive impact in the world.
It does not have to be big grand gestures, it can be small things that can make a big difference. For example, volunteering in your community, or even just being more mindful of the way you interact with people on a daily basis.
I was able to take part in a beach clean up last year and turned out that the kids that participated were orphans, I didn’t know before hand, but it was a pleasant surprise and a great morning. After that, I have to say I need to become more conscious, and maybe not clean a whole beach but pick up a few pieces of litter every day, consistently. If we all did a few pieces a day I think it would be highly effective, don’t you ?
When I play basketball on the street courts there’s usually a little kid that doesn’t get to shoot when the “big kids” play, so I try to help them shoot a bit.
My Mother is Queen of positive gestures to those that are less fortunate and just like a investment stock, I can see the reach of her efforts have compounded over time. From buying a homeless man some food and drink for Christmas, to volunteering in a Sea Rescue organisation, She is actively being the change she wants to see.
That has now overflowed into my younger sister that saw a kid and on their first day of University and noticed that he didn’t have anything to carry all his pens and books. So my Mother took her to buy an inexpensive back pack and gave it to him. Turns out it was the kid’s birthday that day, do you not think that being that change has the ability to encourage more change via a positive ripple effect on this kid?
Every little bit helps in making the world a better place.
I know it can be easy to get discouraged, and sometimes you fall into inconsistent routines due to life’s expectations of you and on top of that it feels like the world is facing so many challenges. However it is possible that when we come together and work towards a common goal, we can make a real difference.
Let’s all make an effort to be the change we want to see. Let's be more empathetic, listen more and take action. Let's make a conscious effort to make the world a better place.
Hi Tracy , I appreciate you taking the time to read and comment, It means a lot
And Mother is legend of a lady, who has been through enough in life but decided to do good instead of complain and digress, and now she is winning ;)
Love this! And love that your mother modeled empathy for your sister and you. It takes one person to start the process but many to make a difference.