We are just 2 days away from saying sayonara to 2015. Did you accomplish what you wanted? Are you thinner? Stronger? More balanced at work? Did you save money? Spend more time with family or friends? If you are like most people, you are biting your lip right now and hanging your head in shame. It’s okay. 2015 is coming to a close and the mistakes or missteps you made last year, are officially lessons.
So how do we approach 2016 with a new, fresh energy?
We turn our resolutions around. Let’s forget about the “what can I do to improve myself” mindset and shake it up with a “what can I do to improve the world” approach. What!?! Did I just suggest that we stop thinking about our shortcomings for a moment and look outside? I’m not suggesting that we don’t work to improve ourselves this year, life should be a continuous striving to be a better version of yourself. If we don’t improve, then we stagnate and die (cheery, isn’t it?). What I’m suggesting is that in addition to Health, Finance and Career, Personal Growth, and Relationships, we add another category into our resolutions for the year, one that might even spill over into the other areas and improve them as well.
Are you ready? Service. There, I said it.
But I already serve at my job, you might say. Well, you provide a service in exchange for money, but chances are you wouldn’t provide that service if they didn’t show you the money. When I say Service, I mean doing for others, for the purpose of doing for others. (Yeah, it’s clunky, but you get the point.) Kids, the homeless, animals, Veterans… who tugs at your heart strings? Let’s make the new year about improving their lives. (More to come on how to do that).
I mentioned the possibility of service, or philanthropy, or volunteering, helping us reach our goals in other areas. I firmly believe that I wouldn’t be where I am today without my involvement in animal rescue. How has it improved my life?
Health: Nothing inspires you to work out more than trying to lift a 70 pound pit bull into the back of an SUV. I now have a “why” to exercise and build muscle.
Finance and Career: Because of a fundraising event that I put on, I now have a new exciting career path. One that doesn’t involve me wandering the halls of a mental health institution (as an employee, not a patient) mumbling “I should’ve gone to law school”.
Personal Growth: I’ve developed new life and job skills, learned mindfulness (have you ever seen a dog worry about the future?), and transformed from an introvert who can’t walk into a restaurant without accompaniment, to an extrovert who jumps at the chance to talk to strangers about how they can help me save animals.
Relationships: Service doesn’t have to take you away from the people you love. I’ve spent quality time with family and friends putting on events and volunteering. Plus, I can’t tell you how many friends I’ve made in the rescue community. Every time I volunteer, I meet more like-minded people who I want to surround myself with.
Helping others has helped me grow as a person. And I’m nowhere near done! How can Service help you achieve your New Year’s Resolutions? (Don’t worry, I’m going to share that with you next)
Happy New Years! Let’s make the world a better place in 2016.
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