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.

Psychologists and health researchers have linked too much time indoors to increased risk of depression, obesity, diabetes and other health problems.

They have found that staying inside most of the day messes with our internal clock and sleep patterns, appetite, immunity as well as our bones and muscles. It goes without saying that we need to unplug and go outside! Thankfully, spending time in nature is a lot of fun and probably the easiest way to improve our health.

Boost Your Energy Levels

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, low on energy and craving another dose of caffeine, take a walk. The natural light that your body will absorb through your retinas will melt away mental fatigue because it restricts the release of stress hormones.  In fact, spending about 20 minutes outside can boost your physical or mental energy by 40%, the equivalent of one cup of coffee. Add that to the mind-clearing effects of fresh air and you’ll be feeling lighter and more energetic within no time.

Improve Your Eyesight

People who spend more time outdoors are less likely to develop nearsightedness. This is because natural light is essential to normal eye development, especially in kids.

This is not to say that you should expose your eyes to the sun’s UV rays. Remember to wear your UV-blocking sunglasses and hats and to enjoy better eyesight.

Boost Your Immunity

Breathing in the airborne chemicals that plants produce is good for your immune system. It triggers an increase in white blood cells which are essential to fighting off diseases and infections.

Going outdoors also helps to reduce inflammation which is associated with inflammatory bowel disease and autoimmune disorders. There’s evidence that patients who spend more time outdoors experience less pain.

Get Your Daily Dose of Vitamin D

There’s no better way to get your daily dose of Vitamin D than going outside. This is because Vitamin D-rich foods do not contain enough of this vitamin to meet your body’s requirements.

Vitamin D is essential for your health because it helps your body absorb calcium, thus preventing osteoporosis and reducing inflammation. It’s also an immune booster.

Spending time outdoors is so much fun and very good for your body and mind. And remember this encouraging information if you happen to live an urban area, green spaces such as parks are just as beneficial as forests in many ways. So get outside and start living life more fully today!

The post Spending Enough Time Outdoors? appeared first on Lifestyle.

You probably already know that a messy, disorganized home can make it very difficult to relax and unwind. What may surprise you, though, is that a clean and organized home can be just as stressful if you make the wrong design choices. However, most design mistakes are easy to fix.

First Things First

Your design choices won’t matter if your home is cluttered, so the first thing you need to do is get rid of the clutter. This is easier said than done because a messy home has a way of draining your energy and making you feel defeated before you even start.

The easiest way to begin organizing your home is to stop putting things down and start putting them away instead! Everything in your home should have its “proper place.” It probably won’t take more than a couple extra minutes to put things away, and within no time at all you’ll see a HUGE a difference.

Secondly, make a routine for your chores. It can be as simple as doing laundry on Tuesdays and Fridays, and deep cleaning on Sunday afternoons. Once you get into the habit of doing this you no longer have to think about it.

Knick Knacks

Filling every inch of your home with knick knacks can make your home feel cluttered even if everything is in its proper place. Think about it, a few extra pillows on the couch can feel cozy but…if you overdo it you’ll constantly have to arrange them or pick them up off the floor.

A better way is to only display items that make you happy or you really love; learn to love empty space.

Prints

Okay, now that we have that out of the way let’s talk about design for a few seconds. Having too many prints/pictures in your home can make it difficult to create a pleasing thematic design. However, you can successfully mix multiple prints if you follow the 60-30-10 rule. The dominant print should take up 60% of the home décor, the secondary print, 30% and the accent print only 10%.

Smells

Life stinks! Toddlers, pets and messy teenagers can leave your home smelling more like a frat house full of sweaty athletes rather than the soothing oasis you’d hoped for. Although you might get used to the smell(s), this doesn’t mean they’re not stressing you out on some level.

Fresh flowers, scented candles and essential oils are all easy ways to get rid of bad smells, even those that you no longer notice. It’s a lot easier to unwind in a room that smells like fresh lavender than one that smells like dirty socks.

Lighting

A badly lit home is stressful. Natural light has a way of making you feel happier and boosting your energy. So if your home has windows, use them! However, if your home is not as well-lit as you would like, invest in a couple of nice lamps.

Colors

You might be drawn to bright colors like yellow and red but that doesn’t mean they’re the best colors for your home. It’s much easier to unwind in a blue or white room than a red or yellow one. There’s also scientific evidence that calming colors can reduce your blood pressure and make you feel sleepy.

We all want a relaxing home where we can unwind after a long day. With the above tips, you can change a stressful home into one that brightens your mood and replenishes your energy.

The post Does Your Home Stress You Out? appeared first on Lifestyle.