Keys to Life: Key #4 - Make a Difference

A little over two years ago I penned an article called Keys to Life . The piece was an adaptation of an essay by author Michael Thomas Ford from his book of collected essays called "My Big Fat Queer Life." In the essay, "Ten Keys to Being Happy Though Gay", he spells out ten tidbits of advice on things gay people should do in order to be happy. I felt strongly enough about his list that I adapted it so that we all could gain some insight into that ever-present pursuit of happiness.

The ideas set forth in his essay inspired me to create my own list of ideals to strive for in pursuit of a happier life. Some of Ford's keys made a lot of sense to me, but not all of them. I kept some of them the same and changed others to fit life as I see it. Remember that these are ideals. They're not easy to achieve, but they're all worthy of aspiring to.

I've long since wanted to revisit these "keys to life" in the hopes of keeping them at the forefront of my own mind and to share them as valuable information for anyone to have. For the next several weeks I'll be doing just that, only this time I'm going to be taking a look each of the ten keys individually. In this piece, we'll take a look at the fourth key to life: make a difference. Here's what I wrote on this back in November of 2008:

Key#4 - Make a Difference

Part of living a fulfilling life is leaving your mark on it. We are pixels on a giant screen, and we should work to add our unique light to the clarity of the picture. We've all got contributions to make, big or small, and they're all pertinent to making the picture whole. Approach your interactions positively. Make people smile when they think of you. Hold a door open for someone. Say thank you. Be kind on the roads. Volunteer now and again. Do your part. You'll be proud of yourself!

What have you done today to make you feel Proud?

On several occasions I've mentioned the song "Proud" by Heather Small in my writing. Once upon a time I used the song in a lesson plan with my students that still stands out as my most memorable (see Inspirational Songs: Natasha Bedingfield's "Unwritten" and Heather Small's "Proud"). The message of the song is clear and it fits this particular key of life perfectly: "step out of the ordinary" and do things every day that you can be proud of.

Everyday Interactions

To me, this is one of the easiest keys to follow, yet these days there seems to be far too little of it around. Making a difference in life means making a positive impact on the things in which you have the power to, and the most basic way of making a difference is through your everyday interactions with others.

On any given day, we encounter other people in a myriad of ways: at work or school, on the Internet, on the roads or the subway, at the supermarket, etc. Now of course we are all human and subject to moods and emotions, so it's not always the easiest thing to do, but always keep in mind to approach these interactions in a way that gives others a positive experience. Hold a door open, make pleasant conversation, or simply smile. I know from experience that smiles are contagious and in the majority of these interactions, the kindness you give forth will come back to you.

Give...of yourself

Another way we can all make a difference in this world is through giving of ourselves to worthy causes. I'm not talking about donating money, but volunteerism. Volunteering one's services to a cause that's important to them does indeed 'make a difference' for both those giving and getting the help. No matter what the cause or the type of service you'll provide, everyone benefits from volunteerism!

Just like in the everyday interactions we all have, volunteering can take many forms. You can donate your time and services at a favorite charitable organization or you can do something of a more personal nature, like picking up some groceries at the store for an elderly neighbor or taking spending time with helping out a friend with a painting project. Either way, others benefit from whatever it is you do for them and there's nothing quite like the self-fulfillment that comes with lending a hand to help those less fortunate than yourself.

For ideas on what you can do to help out a cause that's dear to your heart, please see:

A Call to Volunteer

Non-Profit Organizations in Suffolk County, New York

Volunteer's Corner: Organizations that Help Fight Homelessness

Volunteer's Corner: Animal Welfare and Protection Organizations

Stay tuned for more volunteerism references in the near future.

Imagine if everyone in this world approached their lives in this way what a better world we would live in. Making a difference doesn't take a lot of effort, but the effects of it are so worth it!

For more in this series please see:

Keys to Life

Keys to Life: Key #1 - Live in the Present

Keys to Life: Key #2 - Age Gracefully

Keys to Life#3 - Cultivate Friendships