Be Good To Each Other

Sometimes, it’s not about you.

Or at least, maybe we should all take a minute to admit that it SHOULDN’T be.

I would like to encourage everyone this week to take some time out of your busy schedule – trust me, I know it’s hard – and do something for someone else, deliberately. Sometimes we get stuck inside our own heads so deeply that we forget other people need help, or we feel incapable of giving it. But we can all do a little something here and there. And I promise, this is as much for you as it is for them. Volunteering your time and energy not only benefits those around you, but can give you a change of perspective on your own circumstances. It can help you focus on something other than your own issues.

Even if you don’t want to at first, even if you drag your feet on the way there, find a way to give back. It could make all the difference in the world for someone who needs it, and you will feel rewarded too.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

If you’re a traditionalist and prefer structure, volunteer at a soup kitchen, homeless shelter, or food pantry.

If you’re more of an activist of simply more athletic than the rest of us, participate in a march or marathon for your favorite charity.

If you’re feeling the sting of first world problems a bit too much, pack a shoe box full of toys, clothes, and school supplies for kids in third world countries, or sponsor a child.

If you want to actually see the effect you’re having first hand and want to keep it close to home, make a care basket for someone in your neighborhood who is struggling. Offer to babysit for that single mom in your kid’s class. Drive a coworker to work if they are having car issues.

If you’re looking for something on a slightly broader scale, use your creativity and talents to put yourself out there so other people going through something similar can relate. If you’re outgoing and tech-savvy, make a Youtube video or start your own channel. If you’re an artist, post your fanart online, enter your work in galleries, get your truth out into the world. If you’re a writer, pour your soul into your pages, create characters with real backstories and heartaches and triumphs, write about the issues you struggle with.

That’s what I hope to do with this blog. Even if it’s nothing more than telling someone how you got through the same situation they’re in, lend a helping hand when and where you can. God knows they need it as much as you do. Take care of each other, guys.