In a world for many that has shrunk to ‘four walls,’attitudes and behaviors seem to become self-preservation. People seem to have dropped their gaze to focus on themselves, and very few outside that sphere of concern matters. There is a lot going on in the world right now – I don’t need to go into detail as I am sure everyone is aware of the predominant issues – and that is not the focus of this blog. I want to challenge you to become a catalyst to change, and not only for yourself, but for those around you. 

How do we do that? Many individuals today are in a mode to just get through the day. Signs that you may be experiencing this:

• Stress, lack of sleep, and/or anxiety is noticeable.
• Reactive behavior is more prevalent than proactive.
• Loss of motivation.“Good enough” is okay, excellence doesn’t drive you, or you’re taking shortcuts.

If you read my other blogs, or you follow me on social media, you’ll see I’m a strong advocate of being aware of yourself and then taking action in a deliberate manner to address any needs. You still need to do that, but in this instance, I’m going to ask you to step out of yourself and your needs and find someone you can ask two questions: What do you need, and how can I help you? Directing your energy outside yourself to help others enables you to help yourself. This article points out that when you volunteer, there is a sense of meaning and purpose. Results of the research conducted showed that helping others predicted better emotional and cognitive outcomes for those who gave the help. Helping others has been a challenge with the restrictions in place regarding COVID. This prevents us from engaging in social regulation and allowing our emotions to cycle normally. Here is an opportunity to help others while you help yourself – how will you do it?

The gauntlet is tossed – who will receive your two questions?