What are you doing to make a difference? Many of my friends volunteer their precious time making a difference in the lives of lots of people. Other folks just go about their business, back and forth to work, waiting for the weekend; maybe they don’t know about all the ways they can make a difference. Maybe no one has asked them to be a difference-maker. Here are a few ideas on how we each can make a difference at home, at work, and in the community.
One of the most important ways to make a difference at home is to spend time with your kids. Toss a football, ride your bikes, play cards or another game; step away from the computer and just make the time. If you are always too busy, they’ll find something else to do and soon they will be too busy for you. (Remember the song ‘Cat’s in the Cradle?’) A few other ways to make a difference at home:
- Call a different family member or relative twice a month
- Send a letter or card to a relative
- Instead of Christmas gifts decide on an organization to support
- Family date night; take turns deciding what to do
Making a difference at work is all about attitude. Choose to be positive and enthusiastic. Be nice to everyone, especially secretaries and assistants. Pass out compliments, say “thank you” often and focus on doing the extras. People that make the effort to do the unexpected can make the difference between a gloomy place to work and an exciting work environment. Maybe even have a friendly competition to see who can earn the “Difference Maker of the Quarter” trophy. You might even want to adopt a not-for-profit organization and provide much needed service hours helping them be more successful.
There are endless opportunities to make a difference in the community. The easiest is to volunteer at places like career counseling center, events or festivals, at church or the chamber. Better yet, sign up for a leadership position on a Chamber Committee and make a difference for other members. A few other ways to make a difference in the community:
- Visit someone at a nursing home (you don’t have to know them)
- Check in on your neighbor that lost their spouse (invite them to the movies)
- Recycle more (pick up some trash you see on the sidewalk)
- Pick up the tab, if you see members of the military when you’re out to lunch
If you already are making a difference, thank you, and keep up the good work. If you are ready to start being a difference-maker, hopefully these ideas will prompt you to action.
“Fifty years from now it will neither matter what kind of car you drove, what kind of house you lived in, how much you had in your bank account, nor what your clothes looked like. But, the world will be a little bit better because YOU made a difference in the life of a child.” ~ unknown
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