Make a Difference – TPW401

A key component of making a life that matters is taking action in small ways in our home, our workplace, and our local community. This week we discuss ways we can give back and make a difference in the lives of others. Giving back to others can make a big difference in their lives and can change our lives for the better too In the TPW community, we often talk about making a life that matters, and what that means for each of us. To me, part of a life that matters--a meaningfully productive life--is about doing good in the world, contributing in some way to the well-being of others besides myself. Former U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama is quoted as saying, “Success isn’t about how much money you make; it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.”  I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately. Specifically, I’ve thought about how easy it is for me to be so focused on my own life, my own little world, that I neglect to do anything to help those outside my four walls.  I recently read an article that said, “As humans we yearn to make a difference, to leave our mark. And most of us know helping better others’ lives has positive impacts on our own — making us happier, more balanced, and instilling a greater sense of purpose in the everyday. But it can be easy to get bogged down in the daily grind and miss the benefits, to ourselves and our communities, that getting involved can provide.” What does it take to make a difference in the world? Do we need a big platform, tons of resources, or lots of influence in a big arena?  I don’t think so. If it did, that would exclude most of us. Some of us can make a more visible difference at the state, national, or even global level. But I believe all of us can make a difference in the world by taking action in small ways and in small environments--like at home and in our local community. So many issues facing the world. So much suffering. So much fear. Sometimes it seems like all we do is argue about issues and point fingers while blaming others, but nothing changes. The truth is, if it really matters, we’ll do something about it.  It seems everybody’s waiting for someone else to fix the problem. But like I talked about in episode 396 (where I talked about A Manifesto for a Life that Matters), looking outward is not the answer. “My job in life isn’t to make other people do good in the world. It’s to do good myself. And maybe to hope that by my example I can inspire someone else to do good too.” I can’t control what others do; I can’t make anybody else do better. But I can choose to do better myself.  I saw a quote on a friend’s Facebook post: “I’ve found that if I pray for God to move a mountain, I must be prepared to wake up next to a shovel.” A lot of things have happened in the past few years that have generated fear and anger among many of us. Anger can be a catalyst for action, but simply acting or speaking out of anger accomplishes little. Yelling at or criticizing others rarely changes anything. It's better to manage our own thinking and act out of a true caring perspective. What's the best way to make a difference? Get personally involved. Changing the world and making it better, requires each of us to be willing to give something: Time; Money; Talents or skills; or Attention. What that looks like will be different for each of us, depending on the stage of life we’re in, our economic resources, and other things. But no matter what our situation might be,