So we’re all super messy, right? It sucks, and I hate it, but it’s true.
In the constant quest to leave a big, positive impact, I struggle with this idea a lot. I used to think that you could follow certain rules and easily glide through the hiccups, but it never works. So that means the only true way to find happiness is to accept your mess and find joy in the ride through it.
But what about when the mess is overwhelming. Sometimes you can’t even see above your own dumpster fire, so working toward a positive impact seems impossible. In these times, when nothing is going right, be generous.
The fastest way to turn your own tide is to give of yourself to others. In a recent podcast (see below), Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell openly talk about this idea. In discussing the messiness of life, Kristen said, “You can get all the things you want in life by being actively good to another person.”
So the next time you get into a funk because of your junk, here’s 5 things you can immediately do to share your goodness and turn things around:
- Write a note to someone telling them how much you appreciate them and why. You don’t even have to know this person. I even send them to people around my community that I admire.
- Give literally any amount of money to a cause that you’re passionate about.
- Find a way to volunteer for an organization that you’re involved in or want to learn more about.
- Offer to mentor someone that you feel might be open to learning some of what you have to offer. If you can’t think of someone, another good option is to ask a peer to get coffee regularly to share ideas. Both put you in a position to get some good things going.
- Plant a tree, or work in a community garden, or start a community garden, or plant a flower, or move a worm off a sidewalk…anything to show mother nature some love. There’s some seriously good juju when you do.
The bottom line is this – when you’re fighting through the shit, go help someone else in their fight. It’ll make you 100x stronger in yours.
*I recently discovered Dax Shepard’s podcast, Armchair Expert, and I’m hooked. In his first interview, he and his wife talk honestly about the corners of their relationship, and it’s great. There’s a lot of great lessons to take away from it, including how strong couples serve one another, making decisions that will bring positivity into the world, and not beating people up in public. Check it out here: https://armchairexpertpod.com/pods/kristen-bell
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