Going back to my first reason, self-betterment is a lifelong process, which when ceased, only results in decline or stagnant continuation. My "resolutions" each year are the same - learn new things, grow as a person, and be proud of myself and my actions.
Right now my focus is on being better at house stuff. I'm not the best cook, my laundry never smells as clean as I'd like (it is absent of any smell actually), and I think there is a crafty side of me that needs to be cultivated (I mean DIY, not crafty in a scheming, deceitful way). In light of this I had to share a blog post I just read that will help me do this!
One Good Thing by Jillee has taught me how to decipher the hieroglyphics on the labels of my clothing. I know this sounds small but for a girl who loves to shop, whose laundry comes out smell-ambivalent, figuring this out is VERY helpful! Being able to correctly launder my garments without shrinking, discoloring or fading them not only makes my clothes last longer, but it also makes me feel so very accomplished.
The next thing I want to focus on was also inspired by another's idea. Ann Curry, news reporter, tweeted about how to pay tribute to those beautiful children who lost their lives in Newtown, Connecticut. Her idea is to perform 20 or 26 random acts of kindness in honor of each of the children or in honor of all the people who lost their lives that fateful day in December. Her twitter account was flooded with tweets recounting people's #26Acts. I was happy when I read this that a person in the media was using the news for something good instead of always focusing on the bad. But I worried, what happens when these 26 acts were completed, will people go back to being focused on themselves? I do feel that we would live in a much more peaceful and happy world if we always acted like this, not just in light of a terrible tragedy when humanity is shaken to its core.
Doing for others truly is rewarding and to do so without having been asked and without the expectation of thanks is even more rewarding. Try it sometime. Maybe you don't do 26 acts, maybe you just do one every once in a while. Do it enough and I promise you'll be craving that good feeling more and more, which will lead to more good acts, more happy people and a happier world. (Disclaimer: I'm not dumb enough to think this will bring world peace, but I do think it can help us in our technologically dominant world to take a minute and remember our fellow human beings - you never know the difference it might make.)
It reminds me of the starfish story I heard many years ago. It goes like this:
Once upon a time, there was a wise man who used to go to the ocean to do his writing. He had a habit of walking on the beach before he began his work.
One day, as he was walking along the shore, he looked down the beach and saw a human figure moving like a dancer. He smiled to himself at the thought of someone who would dance to the day, so he walked faster to catch up.
As he got closer, he noticed that the figure was that of a young man, and that what he was doing was not dancing at all. The young man was reaching down to the shore, picking up small objects and throwing them into the ocean.
He came closer still and called out, "Good morning! May I ask what it is that you are doing?"
The young man paused, looked up and replied, "Throwing starfish into the ocean."
"I must ask, then, why are you throwing starfish into the ocean?" asked the somewhat startled wise man.
To this the young man replied, "The sun is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them in, they'll die."
Upon hearing this, the wise man commented, "But, young man, do you not realize that there are miles and miles of beach and there are starfish all along every mile? You can't possibly make a difference!"
As if he hadn't heard, the young man bent down, picked up yet another starfish and threw it into the ocean. As it met the water, he turned, smiled and said, "It made a difference to that one!"
This part of the story can be found here.
You never know who you might save by doing something kind for someone else. After you do your good deed, grab a glass of champagne and relax in the knowledge that you made a difference to one.
I hope this year is filled with happiness, health, and fun!
Happy New Year!
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