Reading the news is so depressing. Understanding the politics at work is so depressing. Understanding the politics in my country is so depressing. It makes you feel helpless. It makes you feel controlled. It makes you feel selfish. It makes you feel guilty.
Someone recently told me they have a friend who lives in a rural area of their country, refuses to read any media, and just wants to live his life, away from media stories, politics, and all the Trump stories of the World. Great for his mental health, but what about his conscious. Can you really ignore that niggling feeling of your duty as a citizen?
But what can we do! I hear you cry. Well little old me cannot do very much to help those in poorer countries who need so much assistance with the global challenges of today. I wish I was a doctor who could fly out to these places and really be able to help these people directly. But I’m not. And I’m not sure I am able to be that selfless even if I was one.
Every single person is unique. Every single person has been given a different gift. No two people have the same personality traits with the same life experiences. Saying that, I believe every person has something to give. I recently watched a video on giving charity in a non-financial way. It was amazing how taking small steps to change how we treat other, is one tiny step to making the World a better place.
With the onset of technology making us care less for one another and become more self-absorbed, it is scary to see what World we are leaving for our little ones. We may not be able to house an orphan in Gambia or provide medical aid for those in Syria. But we can contribute in a small way in our own little lives to make us nicer to each other.
You have been placed in a certain role in life. Whether that be a teacher, an accountant, a salesperson, or a housewife! You weren’t placed there by accident. There was a purpose that you need to fulfil in that role in order to contribute to the World. It may not be obvious at first but it may be something as simple as starting up an initiative in your workplace to create a culture that donates to charity. Or setting some time aside for you and your children to pack some food bags for domestic workers. Or using your institution or contacts to help others less fortunate than you in education or careers. Or helping out at your child’s school to educate others or talk about your career. The list is endless. It’s about doing things that are selfless to give back to the World.
The benefits when you really get going is amazing. It creates a purpose every day and helps you understand your little place in the World. It keeps you humble when you understand how small you are, in a World full of so many unfortunate incidents and situations. It may be only a small contribution, but if that small step can encourage others to do the same, things can change bit by bit. In my book, that is better than just sitting back and accepting that’s just the way the World works.
The logical butterfly 