Two Simple Questions To Ask Yourself Daily
Together we may just be able to change the world.
Happiness and helping the world.
We are all bombarded with bad news. The crazy weather is reflecting all the sad stats on climate change. Politics has never been more divisive and blaming. The message is “think like I think or you are just wrong! It’s been a stressful almost year and a half with pandemic health issues. People seem to be on such edge that they explode in airplanes, stores, and on the streets to criticize random strangers. There is racial tension. And the 24/7 news loves to focus on all of it. Good news is not news for any of them.
If you are at all like me, it can seem like my little part in the world is irrelevant. That I cannot really solve any of these problems. I am just one person. What could I possibly do that would even matter. And it’s easy to toss up my arms and give up.
But I started thinking about what is something simple that I might do that would make a cumulative difference if I did it every day. I started to ask myself this question.
It’s not a question I need to answer in the morning when I pose it to myself, but I have found that just the posing of the question makes me focus and be more mindful during the day of opportunities to make a difference.
What is the question? “What can I GIVE, and what can I GIVE UP?”
Giving may be as simple as a loving conversation with someone, a heart felt compliment, thanking an essential worker, sharing your appreciation of someone’s effort or work. It could be smiling and saying hi to the people on my walk. It may be offering help or support to someone who is having a tough time. What can I give?
And what can I give up? It may be using cloth rather than paper. Truth be told, I am not good at this, and I want to be. It can be finding small ways to change old habits. A friend just shared an amazing “toothpaste” that is little things you put in your mouth and it’s like tooth paste. It saves on packaging and I tried it and love it. It’s called Hello and is activated charcoal, flouride free and minty. There are new laundry sheets that take the place of the big bottles of the laundry soap we buy. Baby steps.
I just know that doing nothing every day will make zero difference in the world. Doing a little something every day will over time add up to something that may even be big. I also know that by just asking the question and being more thoughtful about these things turns into action. I feel a little better about myself.
And I know for a fact that if we all do a little something to give to someone each day and to give up for mother earth, all of that will make a big difference in the long run. And these things will turn into habits. They are after all, happiness habits.
I would love to hear some of the small things you are giving and giving up.
Betsy Smith, Certified Happy For No Reason Trainer and coach
betsyrsmith@mac.com
Check out my new audio short takes on the science of happiness and more at:
betsy.racket.com