Jump Start January 2017: Week 2: Day 7
It’s the final day today for our week of happiness and wellbeing boosters. We’ve left one of the most powerful activities until last – today is about taking one action to be part of something bigger than ourselves.
Today, let’s spend a few minutes thinking about our personal values, and the principles that we hold dear. Things that we care about, but do not personally benefit from (or at least not directly).
What do you care about, outside of yourself, your home, and your family? Everyone is different, but it might include:
- The environment
- World poverty, or UK poverty
- Other global issues, such as education or health inequality
- A social issue in your neighbourhood or this country
- A single political issue (possibly not connected to a specific party)
- Politics in your neighbourhood
- A national political party
- Your religion, or humanism or atheism
- Preventing cruelty to children or animals
- Another specific charity or cause
- A short term issue, such as disaster relief
Have a think about what you care about most from the list above, and then take one of these actions:
- Make a small one off donation, or set up a standing order (if you can afford it)
- Take goods to a specific charity shop
- Sign up as a volunteer or a mentor
- Send a letter, email or other communication to your local MP
- Sign up to see your local MP at one of their surgeries
- Join a group or political party
- Go to a local meeting or fundraiser
- Do crafts or bake cakes, or help with other local or national drives and initiatives
- And anything else where you could make a difference!
Being true to our personal values, helping others and being altruistic can sometimes push us out of our comfort zones, but it’s an important part of who we are and it can give us a greater sense of purpose in life. It also helps to make us feel connected to others, and take positive action. It’s something that plays a key role in longer term happiness.
What are you going to do today to be part of something bigger than yourself?
Dear Penny,
When are you going to do an Empty Storecupboard Challenge ?
Love, Pat
I don’t have a lot of spare cash at the moment but I did do one thing a few weeks ago which felt like I was helping out something bigger. I was browsing on the Kickstarter website and came across someone who was looking for funding towards making a promotional film to help highlight the issue of schools for children with special needs.
This struck a chord with me as I know how difficult it can be for children with learning difficulties to get any form of decent education. I donated a small amount of money and it helped them reach their funding target. The film is being made at the moment and will hopefully benefit some children in the future.
It’s definitely worth having a look on Kickstarter and the other crowd funding websites – it’s not all just weird gadgets on there, there are a lot of very worthy projects that can benefit from small donations and if they don’t reach their target you don’t have to pay. You often get some kind of reward if the target is reached so it’s a great way of getting the feel good factor.
Hi Patricia – no plans this month, but maybe end Feb or some time in March.
Hello Jackie – ah yes! Kickstarter and other crowdfunding can be a great way to help with non-profit and for-good inititatives. So is sponsoring someone, or ‘adopting’ and making regular donations to causes, people or even animals.