Become A Better Person In Just 7 Days
There
are many things that you can do to become a better person. You can
work hard, exercise, and eat well for example. All of these things are
great, no question about it. However, in my opinion, becoming a better
person starts with being selfless. Doing good deeds for other people
without expecting to gain from it is one of the most rewarding
experiences that one can feel in a lifetime. Becoming a truly better
person begins with giving outwardly. I’ve come up with this challenge:
7 days to becoming a better person.
Each day you do something selfless, that will not even take more than
a few moments of your time, and experience first hand what it feels
like to transform into a genuinely great person. Here’s the challenge:
Day 1 – Tell someone you love them
So many people out there never take the precious time to express how
they feel to the ones that are truly important in their life.
Expressing your love shouldn’t be seen as taboo or a sign of weakness.
It’s a sign of confidence, and an expression of what you really feel.
There is nothing more amazing than to know that someone loves you. On
this first day of the challenge, choose someone in your life to make
them feel that special feeling. It’s very simple, just sit them down
and say something along those lines: “
You know I don’t say this
often enough but I do appreciate our bond and everything that you do for
me. So I just wanted to tell you that I love you…I wanted you to know
that.” In two minutes, you have made someone’s day….forget day,
you’ve made their month! So pick a spouse, a parent, a sibling, a
friend….anyone that you truly care about and say the magic word. You
may get a little nervous just before, but once you say it, I guarantee
you that you will feel amazing. Yes, becoming a better person is not a
chore….it actually feels great!
Day 2 – Open your ears and listen
Everyone has their share of issues that they deal with on a daily basis.
We all at some point need to be heard. We need to get things out and
just blow some steam. Unfortunately, the art of listening is fading
away. It’s becoming more and more of a struggle for people to find a
good pair of ears to vent off to. So on day 2 of your quest to becoming
a better person, you simply have to be there for someone close to you.
That’s all you have to do. Listen to them. Let me tell you, I do this
all the time with my friends. I make myself available for them and I
just listen. You wouldn’t believe how it makes them happy to have
someone listen to them. No opinions, no judgment. Listen
unconditionally. You may not have realized the power of listening yet,
but this exercise will prove it to you. It can make a tremendous
difference in someone’s life, and it’s one of the best gifts you can
give anyone.
Day 3 – Apologize
We all have made certain mistakes. We’ve all done things we regret.
Unfortunately, the majority of the time, we never take the opportunity
to make things better, perhaps out of pride or ego. So we carry this
along with us. Sure, with time, its impact may fade a little, but there
is a much more powerful method to deal with such situations. On day 3,
it’s time for you to swallow your pride and apologize. Look into your
past. Is there a particular person that you have lost touch with or
haven’t spoken to in a while? Regardless of what happened, this is not
the time to decide who was right and who was wrong. This is about
healing a wound. Apologizing is not an admission that you were wrong.
On the other hand, it is proof that you are confident enough to say it.
This act will not only make the other party feel much better, it will
inspire them. So by being the “bigger person” and apologizing, you
create nothing but positive energy all around. This is as rewarding for
you as it is for that other person.
Day 4 – Give away a valuable
Nowadays, the only time people give each other anything somewhat
meaningful is on birthdays and holidays. What about the other
360-something days of the year? Simply giving contains so much power in
and of itself. This is why on day 3, you will choose something
meaningful that you will give to someone that you know will like it
and/or benefit from it. It must be something in your home, that you
already own. Perhaps a painting, or a book. Something that you hold
dear and that will bring happiness and value to the person you choose to
give it to. You see, sharing your wealth is one of the best ways to
prove how much you care and necessary to becoming a good person. These
types of gifts are so much more powerful than anything given on
birthdays or holidays, because it shows that you gave it because you
wanted to, not because you had it. This brings a whole new meaning to
that gift and will make the person appreciate it even more!
Day 5 – Volunteer your time
The first few days, you have given back to the people close to you, but
now, it is time to take this further than the comfort of your own
surroundings! Giving back to your community and your society is just as
important, and an integral part of making everything as a whole, a much
better existence for all involved. On day 5, it is time for you to
give some of your time away. It doesn’t have to be complicated. You
can volunteer your time helping out at your children’s school, or at a
local community center for example. It doesn’t have to be a full day or
many hours. Volunteer the time that you can. What I mean is that
instead of watching tv or surfing the web for example, take some of that
time and do something that will help contribute to the development of
your community. Ask around, could be something at work or related to a
particular activity that you do. Nobody refuses a helping hand and
everyone benefits out of it
Day 6 – Help out a stranger
So many people out there could use the help of some good people. After
all, we are all humans and we should stick up for one another. I’ve
always been amazed by stories of complete strangers risking their life
to help a fellow human being. If we can just help anyone with a
fraction of such a commitment, then we’ve all made a difference. On day
6, it’s time to do a kind gesture for a total stranger. Could be
helping an elderly person with their bags, or helping a kid cross the
street, there are so many tiny gestures that we can do in our daily life
to help others it’s incredible. When you see a car break down on the
side of the road, most people drive by, thinking that help is on the way
or that someone else will stop. How about you become the person that
stops? How about you become the person whose gesture makes a total
stranger’s day? This is your opportunity to showcase how a good-hearted
person reacts in such situations for the greater good of all involved.
Day 7 – Donate
The world is a big place, but in the end, we are a tiny community in the
vastness of the Universe. All we have is each other. Although they
may not live nearby, there are so many people around the world that need
the assistance of good natured people. On this final day, it is time
to take your good deeds global! There are tons of really good charities
and organizations across the globe that make it their goal to help out
those that are in need. Pick any organization about any particular
cause that you may hold dear to your heart, and provide them with a
donation. The internet makes it really easy now to find such
organizations, so this final step is super simple and quick to complete.
Donate whatever you can. The amount is not important. What is
important is that even though your gesture was simple and quick, the
difference it will make will resonate with far greater significance in
the grand scheme of things.
So there you have it! 7 days and a better you comes out of it. As a
matter of fact, if you have noticed, in becoming a better person, you
have affected the lives of so many different people in such positive
ways. With such small gestures each day, you have made a difference in
your life as well as in other people’s, and that is what becoming a
better person is all about. You may find that after these 7 days, you
have now developed a habit and that you will continue each and every day
to give back. If you have created a “momentum” of doing good deeds and
that it will keep on going, then I have done my work. This can indeed
become life changing! So you have the challenge and I would love to
hear what you all have done and how it’s impacted your life and those
around you
(Image: Emily Price)
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