Things you can do today to make the world a better place

Personal Things To Do

1. Love yourself.
This is the most important thing for anyone to learn, as before we can understand the true meaning of selfless love that is required to making the world a better place, we have to learn to love our self first. Anyone can say they love themselves or others, but the proof in the pudding comes from their actions. When people are rude, inconsiderate, abusive or intolerant of others, then they do not understand selfless love. Unfortunately, this comes from some past act that has happened to the bitter person that may be elusive, but just as everyone learns how to do something one way, they can also learn how to change. Change is good as it allows people to learn from their mistakes and make better choices for their future. Learn to control your vices and gain virtues in your life. Look inward to see your true self and learn what really makes you happy. I believe that the results will shock you if you are used to pleasing other people in hopes they will please you, or you think you have nothing to offer. We all have insecurities, but it is how we address these character traits and learn from them that makes the experiences we call life. We might think we are making the world a better place when in reality we are only looking out for number one. Once we realize the true meaning of personal happiness we can use this to learn to love our self, and in turn, by spreading true love we are one step closer to making the world a better place.

2. Take care of your body.
Learn how to take care of your body by eating nutritious meals that work to build the body up, instead of greasy, salty meals that are void of anything even remotely healthy. Exercise for at least 30 minutes six days a week, and this means getting your heart rate up and building muscle. Walking is the best and cheapest way to get exercise, and nearly anyone can partake in this type of movement. By exercising with someone else, you are creating a social connection as well as building you physique and strengthening your body. If you have an addiction of some sort find out why you have the addiction. This is the only way to end your habit, as you learn the reason you developed the addiction to begin with, and then develop healthy ways to cope with stress and other issues instead of drinking, smoking or eating yourself to death. Stop wasting the wonderful body you have and learn how to make yourself happy in a healthy way. Once we respect our own body this will reflect onto those we come into contact with, motivating others to also take responsibility for their health. When we are healthy, we are happy and we want others to be happy as well. The good energy from true health will radiate to even more people creating the necessary environment to help the world be a happier, healthier place where we can give more than we receive.

3. Listen to your mind.
Your mind is as important as your heart and just as with any muscle, you must work to strengthen the brain. Reading is a wonderful activity that allows you to relax, focus, and learn something new. The brain will be active and fruitful as long as you feed it engaging materials. The imagination part of the mind is how creative idealizations come to be and allows us to change throughout life as we evolve through experience. Music works to calm the nerves, develop creativity and release emotions. Whether you are musically inclined or simply like to listen to tunes, keep the habit of making music part of your daily routine. Respect your brain and it will work wonders for you.

4. Get a hobby.
Everyone is good at something. We all have at least one thing we enjoy doing, or we should if we want to truly be a happy and constructive society. A hobby or activity that allows us to express ourselves, reduce stress from our lives, and use our imagination is a necessary function right along the lines of eating and sleeping. Find something that interests you, that triggers a passion to erupt in your soul. Learn everything you can about this topic, participate in group sessions, and practice what you are learning. Then share your passion with others. Whether it be through artistic expression of dance, painting, photography or writing, or something more active like golf, soccer or conservation forums, anything that you have a passion for can be the vehicle to introduce others to the art of self-expression. In order to make the world a better place we must first learn to contribute, and everyone can do this by sharing their personal experiences in a passionate manner.

Environmental Things To Do

1. Recycle.
Recycling gives back to nature as it provides the opportunity to decrease the raw materials and resources that are taken from the earth in order to create new stuff. I have always seen recycling as important and a moral duty, but in my rural community there has not always been recycling centers due to a lack of popularity. However, now we have two centers here within our north Georgia mountain community that provides free recycling. I am able to take my one-year-old with me to recycle our newspapers, soda cans, glass and plastic bottles, saving money on garbage pickup by decreasing the number of bags that need to be picked up and taken to the landfill, as well as providing my son with the experience that will last a lifetime. I hope that he will see recycling as a normal routine duty rather than something difficult and hard to do, and take this experience with him when he has his own family. The earth can only subsist humanity as long as we subsist the earth. We should take every effort to be efficient, and practice sustainability in any form. Science has given us the tools to recycle materials to be reused rather than going to waste and we must take advantage of this information.

2. Grow a Garden.
Anyone should be able to grow some type of plant. I have always heard that before we can become good parents, we should first take care of a plant, then take care of an animal. This means that just as a child needs nurturing, plants are living things which we can tend to and provide life through nature. A plant can grow in a pot if land is an issue. Learning to grow plants teaches us a lot about the natural world and gives us an appreciation for how delicate flowers and hardy herbs come to be. As sad as it is, many children who are growing up today in particularly in urban areas are not given the opportunity to learn how food is grown, where flowers come from or how to turn a seed into a cucumber. By taking a single solitary seed and planting it in some dirt you will be amazed at the results. It has been proven scientifically that having plants in our homes and workplaces reduce stress levels and improve air quality. By making ourselves happy we are able to make others happy. Plants are capable of doing just that when brought indoors. If you are able to grow a full fledged garden or have a flower bed in your backyard you should feel blessed. Gardening is a wonderful hobby that can provide beautiful flowers to be shared with others as well as delicious fruits, vegetables and herbs that are fresh giving more nutrition.

3. Humane Society.
Most communities have a local humane society where forgotten and abandoned pets are housed. While there is a debate about the way animals, especially pets, should be treated giving consideration to whether they have feelings and emotions, these animals are part of the circle of life. We could not live the way we do today without them, because each creature serves a purpose to the greater good. However, for those who tend to overlook animals or do not agree with this, the people that work in these organizations do deserve praise for their efforts. That being said, many people think that the only thing they have to do with their local humane society is to adopt pets. Not so. These organizations are usually nonprofit groups, meaning they spend every penny they receive to make sure the animals are taken care of, and by donating money, time and even pet supplies, every single person has the opportunity to help. The benefits of giving to the humane society does not extend only to the pets. The employees and volunteers that spend their time and give their hearts to keep the organization afloat really need the help of their community in order to show that others do care about the mission of this group. The thoughtfulness and kindness shared to these people as well as the pets can radiate into the homes of the pet handlers and veterinarians as they go home each night. Rather than being frustrated at the lack of community kindness which can result in many people burning out and giving up, these wonderful people can have a sense of purpose that is being fulfilled. And this helps to make the world a better place.

4. Serving Strangers and Neighbors.
Serving others is the most successful method of making the world a better place. People who are able to volunteer their time and energy to do good for other people are truly succeeding in helping the whole world. This is a selfless way to share what you know best through your own experience. Anyone who has given without expecting a profit or reward understands the difference between instant gratification and true gift giving. Most people you talk to will only do something as long as there is a return of equal, or greater, value. This is where most people lose focus and become materialistic. However, over time these people, hopefully, come to realize that material goods do not bring joy in and of themselves. Of course we need some material goods to survive and to be able to function successfully. The true joy of receiving is not met by toys, cars, clothes or money. The latest fashion may be wonderful right now, but it will fade quickly as will the joy of receiving the clothing. The newest car might give us a rush of excitement as it pulls into the driveway. But by the time the new car scent wears off and is replaced by more expensive car insurance and loan payments, the burden overtakes the joy of receiving the vehicle. By learning to accept what we have and to appreciate what we are given because we deserve it, we can make the world a better place. There will be less competition, fewer stresses, and more time spent on helping others. By serving humanity we can learn the true joys of life and be capable of sharing them with others.

List of Examples

Now we will share a list of activities that most people can either do or adapt to in making the world a better place.

1. Bake a cake or pie for someone for no special reason. Keep in mind dietary restrictions and be conscious of who will receive the bake goods; some people cannot have sugar, chocolate, dairy, etc. for health or religious reasons, and you do not want to insult someone.
2. Take flowers to your favorite restaurant to be viewed by customers. By sharing something so beautiful and for free you are sending out the message of love and kindness.
3. Help out an elderly person work in the yard. This can be your grandparent, neighbor or even a stranger.
4. Volunteer your time. Need somewhere to go? Nearly every community has a soup kitchen, meals on wheels, or nursing home; these are organizations that depend on the kindness of people to take care of vital functions.
5. Have a baked goods sale or garage sale and donate the proceeds to your favorite charity.
6. Give canned and nonperishable foods to the local food bank. Nowadays these organizations are running low on items as more and more people are in need for food. Go through your cabinets or buy soups on sale. Everyone can give something.
7. Give blood. This is something most every adult can do, and will most likely benefit from the use of other people’s blood in their lifetime. Look at it as a savings account. Also health screenings typically accompany blood giving so you are taking care of your own health for free.
8. Donate old magazines to hospitals or doctor’s offices. Not only are you recycling, but sharing with others. Most visitors to these places need some lifting up and reading magazines helps to distract patients from their health issues at least for a short time.
9. Offer to volunteer anywhere that you are interested. Nursing homes need to have people come to visit the elderly. As a youth I visited our local nursing home and sang with our youth choir at different occasions of the year. I always loved Christmas time when we would sing tunes and give out handmade cards to the elderly in their common room. Of course, there are so many ways to volunteer your time. Local newspapers often list opportunities to volunteer, and you can check with clubs and charities to see if they have a need for volunteers.

Inspirational Websites to Help Motivate

http://www.43things.com/things/view/326/make-the-world-a-better-place
This link goes to the 43 Things, an online goal setting community, where people have set a goal to make the world a better place. Anyone who is interested in making our world better can use this site to connect with other individuals who are on the same path. There are inspirational quotes from Martin Luther King and lists of personal goals for bettering the world for over 750 people.

http://www.jamieoliver.com/campaigns/jamies-food-revolution
Jamie Oliver has a hit show on television that has revolutionized the way students and families in America look at food. He is working to make the world better by teaching children and parents healthy foods to eat and how to prepare them by setting up kitchens in home towns to provide this new food education that is much needed as can be witnessed from watching the show. In one episode Oliver showed students a red tomato and asked them what it was—no one knew. The idea that children do not know what a vegetable looks like because they are not being fed them first makes one wonder what they are eating and then how society has failed in providing nutritious foods.

http://www.squidoo.com/GypsyOwl_Motivator
If you are looking for daily inspiration, here is a blog post that gives a daily meditative thought, some new method of making the world a better place, and links to other websites that can also inspire and lift you up. Whenever you are feeling blue or disenchanted this means you need to make a change in what you are doing in your life. Actions are the result of thoughts, and when we feel depressed we need to get ourselves out of the rut. Reading inspirational stories from other people who are trying to make the world better as yourself can expand your repertoire and knowledge to help you get out of the troubled thinking pattern.

http://www.sanjosepby.org/QuotesonHowToMakeTheWorldABetterPlace.htm
Here we have a list of quotes and inspirational sayings from famous people throughout history. Anyone who would like to expand their thinking and discover how other influential people have been successful in making the world better can benefit from reading these lines. People all throughout time have been searching on how to best benefit the world around them. By understanding this is not new or impossible and that by working towards success, we can have the confidence that we are doing the right thing.

http://gabs.strength.org/site/PageServer?pagename=GABS_homepage
The Great American Bake Sale is an online community where anyone can sell baked goods anywhere and donate the money to be used to fight childhood hunger in the United States. I have signed up with this organization and will be having a yard/garage sale at my home where I will also be selling goodies that I will make in honor of this organization. This is a simple way for anyone to donate time and money to help others, making the world a better place. You do not have to be an individual; as reported on their website any group, workplace or church could get together and do the same thing. This is what makes this group great; it does not matter who you are or where you live, anyone can sell baked goods and donate the proceeds in a simple and legit manner. You can also donate directly through the website, but as I love to bake, I can only imagine the joys I will bring to many people as they buy the delicious treats knowing they are supporting a good cause, and then the joy of getting to eat something that tastes like heaven. This is an opportunity to make many people happy.

In Conclusion

Most people want to make the world a better place for either the present or the future. However, this can mean something different depending on the individual. Some people may see volunteering as out of reach, while others may feel that their lives must revolve around this ultimate goal of peace and joy. The truth is everyone has the ability and responsibility to make their world better, but we can only do this if we are in the right frame of mind. By beginning with ourselves and making sure we are healthy and happy, we will radiate the positive energy and find new ways to share our success with humanity. Do not worry if you think you are not doing enough. Start out small and opportunities will come to you.