When I consider peace and global care I believe we need to do two things.
One- we need to take accountability for our own life.
Take the time and use our energy to heal, clear the dysfunction from our system, and strive for a happy life.
Two- we need to help each other.
You and I may not be responsible for the reality of another person’s life. Nor are we accountable for their life. But that doesn’t mean we can’t help. Even when we take accountability for our own life, we might need help.
We might need help to learn how to take care of ourselves- how to cook, clean, budget, or even do laundry. Often times this knowledge can be “assumed.” We can assume everyone knows. We can assume that they had parents or adults in their life who knew how to do these things and taught them. We “assume” everyone can read and write- but this assumption doesn’t make it true.
Everyone of us at one time or another has needed help. During this holiday season I encourage you to not only take care of yourself and your friends and family, but also do what you can for the world.
How to help the world:
Scarcity vs. Abundance.
Before you can even address helping others, we need to address our perception. How we see the world shapes our opinions and our decisions. So I ask you this- Do you view your life with scarcity or abundance?
When we choose to view our life with limits or lack, we might become miserly. Choosing to hoard the money we have. In contrast, when we choose to see our life filled and well supported, we might share more. We might share time or money, having faith that we are well supported that we will have what we need. That we will be taken care of.
Do you view your life with scarcity or abundance?
Do what you can.
The prospect of donating, especially money can seem overwhelming. With so many charities and so many areas of the world sending out a call for help, we can get stalled just by the idea of helping. Where do you start? What impact with your contribution really have? These two simple questions can be enough to stop you from taking action.
When these questions acts as roadblocks- step through them by remembering that every bit helps. When we work as a group we can accomplish great wonders. But before we are a group, we are an individual. They only way we will become a group that answers cries for help is if you join us. If each of us do what we can.
What you can do might be $50 or it might $500. It might be an hour of time or a week. Just as a river slowly polishes stone until it’s a pebble of sand at our feet, each bit of money and time we donate slowly polishes away the problems of the world until they are no bigger than a grain of sand.
Another thing to keep in mind is that what you can do changes from year to year. Some years, you might have more funds, or you might even have inherited/won/saved up and have money to share. Other years you might need a new car or just bought a house- the funds may be low- so honor that. Honor what you have, what you need, and what’s left over can be split between savings, self-love, and help.
Start small, start local.
When there are hundreds upon thousands of charities asking for donations it can get overwhelming. My process is to start small, and start local. Just as we need to take care of ourselves, look out for our family, we need to look out for our community.
- This would be:
- Police
- Fire department
- Emergency services
- Local charities
- Local disasters
- Local community services- such as, public library, community rec center, and anything else your community offers.
The great thing about looking out for our local community is that theoretically, if we all look out for our community- we will all be supported. This support provides for services and privileges that are just as privilege. In a world where people need clean drinking water- books no matter how essential, are a privilege.
Go big, go broad.
After we look out for our community if you still have the time or funds- look big and go broad. This big picture could be helping an organization that works all over the country. Or it may be a big picture need. For example:
Research.
The last step to donating is to do your research. Believe it or not- there is money to be made with non-profits. There are few things you want to look at when researching whether these big or small groups are the right ones to donate to. The two main things to look for are:
Percentage.
When researching various charities look at what percentage of your dollar goes where. For example, are 90 pennies going to the program and 10 pennies towards advertisement. Or are 30 pennies going to the program, 50 pennies to the CEO, and 70 pennies on technology, advertisement, and paychecks.
Duration.
Charities work best when they work to end injustice like slavery and when they minimize the effect of a disaster like a hurricane or tsunami. Charities lose their effectiveness and their purpose when they start to hurt the communities they are there to save.
I once read of a small village in Africa that suffered a natural disaster. As a result, their one clear water source was polluted. In response charities sent water filters, the big heavy-duty kind. Sound good right? Well after the disaster cleared this charity stayed. In staying two terrible things happened.
One- the charity destroyed the economy of the village. For the people selling water filters at a discount couldn’t compete with free water filters. A depressed economy means that a village or town becomes dependent on others. Rather than helping this village get back up on their feet this charity left them worse than they started. Plus, they added a depressed economy to the world.
Two- the charity wasn’t there for someone else in need. Rather than leaving after the natural disaster to move on to the next disaster and next group of people who needed help, the charity stayed. And as a result, who knows what happened to those other people who needed help.
Your money speaks louder than any vote. Because where you spend your money tells the world what’s important. Tells the world what you are willing to fight and support. It shapes the reality of the world.
These steps help to break down how to approach helping people. Because we have a lot of different and worthy areas in the world that need help. Another thing to think about is what you offer. What unique and personal qualities do you have to offer the world.
It could be tools. Or knowledge. Or accessibility- do you have a voice that can spread the call for help. For the world is calling for help. You and I are calling for help. We are calling for help for one simple reason- we are not happy with, nor do we accept things as “good enough.”
We are human beings. We walk on two feet and we have a voice. A voice that needs to go to work in order to see the changes we desire. Feet that need to walk and move- to bring about the actions that will reshape the world.
Yes money, time, donation are all key factors to improving the world. Improving the lives of people, animals, and our very planet. But more than that- the call for help is not for money but for two feet and a voice.
Your Daily Does of Christmas:
Christmas Song: Shine On by, The Coats
Christmas Movie: A Christmas Carol
- Watch the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ3lr3urgDU
Daily Affirmation: “I have the power to make a difference with each little thing I do.”