The work of putting our world back together again starts with you.
What we face right now, at home, at work, in the world at large feels overwhelming, but so much of it is beyond our control. It’s easy to feel the pull of wanting to make a difference so that we can get through and past our challenges as soon as possible. But that mentality can be futile and frustrating.
It’s not that we shouldn’t pursue work that makes a difference. It’s not that we shouldn’t try to find ways to nudge us all forward. In fact it’s quite the opposite.
What we should do is start with ourselves. The first person to change, if we are intent on changing our circumstances, our communities, and our world, is ourselves.
“For the world is in a bad state, but everything will become still worse unless each of us does his best” – Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning
Remember: you can’t be at your best for the people and causes you care about if you aren’t intentional about taking care of yourself. Make time to do the things that restore you, and in turn you will find the time, energy and capacity to make a difference for others.
Start small. Start now.
But start with yourself first.