It might seem silly to talk about “social responsibility” in an era of narcissism, blame, and irresponsibility. But the Golden Rule still matters: “Treat others how you want to be treated.”  

How much do you care about the good and well-being of the community?

A socially responsible person lives their life in a way that benefits society and not in a way that’s harmful to others or the environment. 

Socially responsible people acknowledge that we’re all interconnected – that no person is an island – and take responsibility for their choices and actions. 

How they live their lives matters to them. We’re not talking about social activism here, but people who are wise, understanding, discerning, and compassionate. 

They live their lives to make a difference; the size of their contribution is irrelevant. 

Whether a person believes in climate change, carbon footprints, or other social issues that are highly politicized doesn’t matter because what we’re talking about in this article is simply being good stewards.

Here are five ways to be a more socially responsible person.

1. Be Aware & Keep Informed

It’s easy to get sucked into the tornado of our crazy busy lives and lose touch with what is happening in the world around us.

It’s hard to help make the world better if we don’t know what’s happening. 

Be aware of what’s happening around the world and stay informed.

Watch for issues that speak to your heart — causes you’d like to pitch in and help with in some way. Maybe it’s human trafficking, disaster relief, mentoring young kids, etc. 

Staying up with current events and issues keeps the big picture in view, allowing you to make choices that support the health and well-being of our community and environment worldwide.

2. Get Involved – Do Something

Many people talk about making a difference, but how many follow through? 

The world will change for the better when we become better people.

It’s up to us to get involved and do something to make the world better, not just for ourselves but others. 

Although it’s overused to the point of being a cliche, it bears mentioning: Be the change you want the world to be.

Putting yourself out there and doing something that makes a positive difference is a beautiful way to actively take part in helping our community and environment. 

Have you ever thought of volunteering for a worthy cause in your community? Or participate in meetings at the local chamber to improve the quality of life in the community?

Spend time researching ways to become involved in your community to see if anything triggers your interest. 

3. Be Empathetic

There are people around us who are suffering from food instability. There are communities around the world struggling with water shortages or finding fresh water for their families. 

Suffering abounds.

Two of the best ways to be socially responsible are showing empathy and compassion for people’s suffering and pain. It reveals that you have a heart and are not living a self-centered life. It inspires you to change any habits that might contribute to the suffering of others and build new habits to make things better. 

4. Be a Wise Consumer

Some people always look for the lowest price regardless of how or where the product was made; good stewards – socially responsible people – want to know if people were exploited or abused.

Before buying its products, check out a company’s practices regarding their staff and the environment.

Consider buying sustainable products made of natural fibers that easily biodegrade and return to the ground as organic matter.

The issue with synthetic fibers is that they’re not biodegradable; they can remain in the environment for hundreds of years.

Also, buy locally as much as you can if possible because it’s a great way to support your community and boost local businesses, and it reduces resources typically used in the shipping and delivery process.

5. Make Smarter Choices

Making a wiser decision is one that builds good habits. 

A wise decision can be simple, like turning off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving or choosing to reuse and recycle plastic products as much as possible to reduce the amount of waste, or using canvas bags at the market.

Final Thoughts…

Even though the world is an ugly, noisy place with misguided social activism and selfish political agendas, we mustn’t allow our frustration and cynicism to make us walk away and do nothing.  

Evil wins when good people do nothing.

It’s easy to get jaded; but doing “nothing” isn’t a long-term solution for the problems we and the next generation face.

Don’t be manipulated or controlled by marketers, politicians, and activists. 

Help the world unlock its best life by living the kind of life that makes a difference every day.

The post Five Ways To Be More (Socially) Responsible appeared first on Lifestyle.

Have you ever met someone who was all heart, whose very presence brightened the world? And thought, wow, we could use a lot more of that!

Some people are born with the gift and ability to be compassionate. 

They’re concerned about people, life, and the condition of the earth. 

They care. 

But it’s more than a fading sentiment. They do something about it. They take action. They’re engaged. They make a difference. And we wish we could be more like them.

While some are born inherently with the gift of compassion, others learn it. Here are ways to train yourself to be more compassionate in a world that desperately needs more kindness, understanding, and love. 

Compassion as a Value

Compassion 101: If you want to be a more compassionate, start being more compassionate. Profound. 

Just practice being a little bit more compassionate every day. Soften your heart. Look around. Be open. 

Practice being compassionate until it becomes a habit…until it becomes familiar and necessary; automatic. 

Perhaps you balance every act of self-compassion with an act of compassion for someone else. And the place you should start is with you; just don’t stay there very long. Branch out.

But, begin with self-compassion. 

Being self-compassionate makes life less burdensome; each day is a little brighter; life becomes easier and happier. 

Here are some ways to practice self-compassion:

• That negative voice in your head? Yeah, that one… well, when a negative thought pops into your mind, immediately neutralize it by challenging it with something hopeful, optimistic, positive, or by identifying one or two good traits about yourself. Just do it—every single time. Counteract every negative thought with a positive one. 

When you find yourself being hard on yourself, remind yourself how you’ve overcome difficulties before – that you are determined, resourceful, and are making progress.  

• Acknowledge yourself on a job well done! You’re making a difference! Let go of fear, guilt, shame, or embarrassment. Honor your achievements just like you do for your best friends. And remember to be a best friend to yourself.
• Cut yourself some slack. You won’t always get it right. No one does. It’s been said that we don’t win or lose; we win or learn. Don’t let anything in your life or what’s happened to you go to waste. Cherish your life. Learn. Adapt. Grow. Appreciate your life and journey. And if you can’t appreciate it right now, at least try to respect it.  
• Treat yourself to something special. Do something nice for yourself. Give yourself a gift. Embrace and celebrate you! Show yourself that YOU matter to YOU!
• Have you ever noticed how you can be nicer to strangers than you are to yourself? Being nice to strangers is an admirable trait. Now, start being that way to yourself. Speak to yourself and treat yourself like you do to your best friends.

Start practicing self-compassion. 

Self-compassion isn’t selfish; it’s necessary for you to be able to give back to others. Once your cup is overflowing with compassion, it’ll overflow and spill into other people’s lives. You have so much more to give. 

“Do Unto Others…” Being Compassionate

• Do you take time to notice and acknowledge throughout the day when others are being compassionate to you? No? Then it’s time to start. Take notes. Journal. Study and model compassionate people.  
• Join an accountability group to create opportunities for you to practice the habit of being compassionate to yourself and others.
• Slow down during your busy day to take time and ask yourself when, where and how you can show more compassion in specific situations.
• Here’s a great one, but it isn’t easy. Do this, and you’ll be rowing strenuously against the tide: Try not to react to someone who is unkind or harsh to you. Instead, take a deep breath, smile, and ask them if they are okay. What if their negative mindset is really a cry for help? What if they’re worried, afraid, or hurting? What if they don’t intend to be harsh but are just trying to get your attention because they need someone (that’d be you) to listen or help – or acknowledge the difficult stuff they’re going through!

Compassion as a Habit

Being aware of where, how, and when you can show more compassion to oneself and others is the building block of creating compassion as a habit. 

• Practice self-compassion by being kind, loving, and gracious to yourself.
• And be mindful of where, how, and when you can offer compassion to others often – not just in response to a tragedy or natural disaster.
• Notice, acknowledge and appreciate when people are compassionate to you; model them.

Take on these practices, and before you know it compassion will become a natural part of your life, and you will be one of those people whose very presence brightens the world, of whom people will say, wow, we need more people like you.

The post In A World That Needs More Compassion… appeared first on Lifestyle.