Top 10 Things To Do That Can Change the World

I thought it was about time I create a list of the things that people can do to make the world a better place. This is my list and there are certainly other ways that I will not mention but that could easily be included. I would love to hear what you think should be included on this list.

1. Seek first to understand before being understood.
This one is a no brainer. We live in a world where we expect everyone to see our point of view and unfortunately that just doesn't work. If you want people to hear your point of view then listen to someone else's first. More importantly listen with an open mind and leave your judgement's at home. What is often forgotten is that there are at least '7 different truths' to every question, every situation, and every event. Your viewpoint makes all the difference and it is important to remember that yours is not the only way to look at the answer. Look at the world through another persons eyes and you might learn something both new and beautiful.

2. Start a conversation with a stranger.
Awkward? Maybe. Incredible experience? Definitely. There are exceptions of course, like when the stranger looks at you like you are crazy, or they have nothing to say. But I have an example. This past holiday season I was at the mall and sat down for lunch. It was extremely busy and seats were a luxury. I happened to have an empty seat across from me at my table and noticed a lady looking for a place to sit. I invited her to take a seat and I struck up a conversation. Turns out she was doing jury duty on a rather interesting case, and while she couldn't fill me in on the details she was able to tell me enough that the story was one I will remember. She also gave me some great tips for presents for my mom and sister, AND wished me a merry Christmas. The point, however, was that it was an opportunity to learn something new and we are constantly passing up these opportunities for fear of awkwardness. You never know who you might meet out of sheer accident and if you believe in Karma then I guarantee it will come right back to you.

3. Make an educated donation.
In this day in age it is not enough just to make a donation. You need to know what and who your donation is going to. There are many methods to make your donation or to do the research (many of which I have mentioned over the last 4 months). The important thing about making a donation isn't the money but that you make the effort to put it in the right place. Your values are of as much importance when making a donation as the actual amount. While millions of people give to cancer this doesn't mean it is the best place to put your money (it also doesn't mean it isn't). There are too many valuable causes and far too many non-valuable ones. Take the time to research your cause and you will find that you feel far better about the donation than you normally would.

4. Give your time to your local community organization.
This is an opportunity to do several things. You will have an opportunity to help out an organization that needs the help and skills that you bring to the table. (It is important that you provide your help on a constant basis like once every other week, once a month, or more. Organizations can become taxed by dealing with a nomadic group of volunteers but if you give your continued time then they wont need to train you or watch over you over time.) You will also be able to learn about the problems affecting your community, which may at first not be so apparent. (You would be entirely surprised to see the rate of homelessness or poverty in your community when you give your time to a soup kitchen or shelter.) You will find yourself increasingly appreciative of what you have in life. (While this may sound bad, the truth is we tend to get far too caught up in our own lives and when we are confronted with those who are worse off then we tend to see the value in our own lives a little more.) Finally, you will meet with and work alongside some people in your community you would not normally have a chance to or even think to get to know. (Some of the best people, and the ones I have learned the most from, have come during a volunteer experience. Getting outside your comfort zone and meeting people with different perspectives will only help you to see the world in new ways.)

5. Read a book a month.
Any book will do, but I would suggest something of the non-fiction variety if for nothing else than it will be an opportunity to learn something new and real. Fiction books will also do, so don't be at all scared to read one of those as well. Books have a funny way of helping you expand both your mind and horizons. A nice side effect is an increased vocabulary, and while I am not a particularly good example, your grammar is likely to improve as well. There are all kinds of books about world issues, and biographies of people who have walked the path that we too want to take.

6. Find a new quote every day or week and put it on your bathroom mirror.
The quote should represent something internal to you and specific to how you feel in the moment or would like to feel. Inspiration abounds in the words of others and it can make your day to read it in the morning before you leave for work or school and get you inspired to take on the world.

7. Write down your dreams.
Everyone has dreams. Very few people follow them. Every day you neglect them your cynicism takes a greater hold on your life. Not following our dreams is to avoid our life purpose. There is a reason we dream what we do and it is because that is what will make us happy. You want the world to change then you had better start with yourself and changing how you neglect yourself. Dreams are meant to be achieved, not ignored or chalked up to a casualty of reality. I don't believe for a second that realism needs to exclude idealism. It just means that we have to really try to make our ideal world a reality. Nothing will happen without effort and the first thing to do is write down what you want to put the effort into. Putting it on paper makes it a reality and you are far more likely to pursue what is on paper than what is in your head.

8. Love someone or something.
I wish I could say that everyone will find their true love and that person will love them that way back. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Love is a funny thing because it isn't something you can control. It is important, however, to let yourself love someone or something with all your heart. We are conditioned over time, by being rejected, and getting hurt, to put walls to protect ourselves from the hurt and pain - these same walls, though, prevent us from feeling love. Love is the most powerful, and often times painful, emotion someone can have. I will tell you this, however, when you love someone or something there is nothing else like it in life. It will bring you the highest of highs in life, and even the lowest of lows - but you can't have one without the other. Love will take you where you never expected to go but when you get there you will feel as though you were meant to be there all along. The world needs more people to love, and take down the walls that prevent it from occurring. Rejecting love out of fear is the worlds greatest problem. We put up walls (both metaphorically and in reality) to stop ourselves from connecting and when we take them down we will open up the world to a whole new outlook and a world of new possibilities.

9. Say thank you, sorry, excuse me, pardon, open the door for someone, etc.
It is simple but lacking on so many levels. It used to be that manners were a valued quality and implied good character. While the former still holds true, the reality is that we as a world have collectively lost our manners. I don't know how many times I have witnessed someone bypass their manners for reasons that are so obviously as a result of no one appreciating them. The cool factor seems to be that for those who have manners are the ones who are seen as strange and uncool. Manners are a good thing and meant to be used. They imply that you appreciate someone and that you respect them as a person. They may not be your closest friend and are often times a stranger or someone you may never meet again, but they are human and should be treated as such. The point is that manners are learned and we learn them from people who give us the respect, such as friends, family, or even strangers. The world would be a far better place if people would simply use our manners.

10. Smile.
By far greatest lesson I was ever taught in life was to smile. A smile has the greatest power of any outward display or gesture. It has the ability to brighten anyones day and instantly make the world a better place. It is like a burst of sunshine on even the cloudiest of days. If there was one thing that anyone has the power to do it is smile more. If Everyone smiled could you imagine how much happier everyone would be? There are some people I know that when they smile it just makes my day - I keep reminding them to do it more often (selfishly for sure) because it is the greatest pick-me-up.

Everything on this list is something within your power to begin doing right now. It requires very little resources on your part, just your energy and passion for making the world a better place. While the world could use a few big gestures to make it better, it is the simple and small things that will have the greatest impact. Try them and tell me what you think.