A letter to those who would like to help the world, but can't,
Chill and remember: help yourself out first and then, but only then, go outward little by little, further and further and soon you will start to feel the difference you are making. Start by making a difference with yourself and people who are in your immediate surroundings. This isn't to say that those out of reach are not important, quite the opposite, but how do you plan on assisting others outside your immediate sphere if you won't even help those in need who are around you?
You should start with yourself, however. Don't forget about you and your needs! With all the scary events and news circulating out every day now with a mass shooting here, a bomb exploding there, and a threat over here, there is no question as to why and how people are frightened on the day to day basis. But is that the way we actually want to live our lives? In fear? In constant anxiety that keeps our nails short and our hairline receding? That makes us pull and tug on our shirts and makes us sweat with any sign of discomfort? That makes us look for the exit signs anywhere we go to now? Is that really what life should be about? Take care of yourself and of how you feel. Talk to someone and seek help if necessary. There is no need for you to keep on having those nightmares. They are no good and I'm sorry to break it to you, but you are letting the bad guys win; so don't!
Then, and only then, you should go out and help (little by little!). Go and make your community safe or safer. Go and enjoy what your town, city, country has to offer! And remember to relax and enjoy it all by making a small contribution to whatever it is that you feel the world needs right now. Want cleaner oceans? Go and clean the beach. Want less crime? Go and volunteer at a youth center. Go inform people in how to tackle crime in the best and most positive way possible. Want less violence? Teach people kindness and compassion. Want fewer mass shootings? Fight for gun control. My point is to realize where you want to make a difference and go and do it. Start now.
Want to go overseas? Here I applaud you. Go. Don't think twice. Go and help out other countries and places and people you would never have thought you could have an impact on. But do it if you feel it calling to you.
There are days when there is so much bad news on the media, so much to bring one down that I don't even want to get out of bed. Sometimes I want to give up and stay scared. Sometimes I want to let the bad guys win. I am paranoid from time to time, I won't lie. I do fear that someone will start shooting out of nowhere and I do, unfortunately, also fear other attacks in public places caused by terrorists. But then something clicks and I remember that this is not the life that I was meant to live; a life in fear. I was meant to live, as every individual, on this planet, we are lucky enough to call home, a positively happy, ecstatic, enjoyable life. We were all destined for more. For us all to reach our truest purest potential and goodness and I am sorry to break it to you, but fear is not an ingredient for that; so leave it!
Leave fear behind and dig deep into figuring out what it is that stirs inside of you (if there is something stirring because not everyone has this stir) to help. And then just do it. There is nothing as simple as that. I mean there probably is, but really if you want to make the world a better place and feel that you can't start with yourself. Take care of yourself and then as you do that, figure out what you want to do and what you can actually do, you will make a change. A small one, but we are all part of this wave, a wind, a current that is impacted by everything that we do. If that even makes sense.
Thank you for wanting to make this world a better place, we are in dear need of more individuals like you. We are living in scary but wonderful times and we should try and make the best out of them.
