Your Community Needs You: How to Help
This is a contributed post and may contain affiliate links. The thoughts and ideas expressed may not be exactly what the ghostwriter Scott Sery believes. But he did read it, and signed off on it, so it’s at least pretty close.
Do you ever feel that itch, that burning desire to make a difference in the world, but feel trapped in your current job? You can feel the same way even if you run a small business. Maybe you see articles about people in the community helping out. Maybe you’re feeling this emptiness inside because you’re just not doing what you’ve hoped to do: make the world a better place. Honestly, you’re not alone in any of this.
While you’re out there crunching numbers or trying to find business partners, that could have been a time that you helped someone; that could have been a time that you spent impacting another person’s life. Honestly, most of us want to help people, and most people want to do what they can to improve the world.
But figuring out how to do that when you’re stuck in your career (yes, again, business owners included) can be challenging. So, here’s how to start making those positive changes, even if your day job isn’t exactly inspiring you to greatness.
Start Small, Think Big
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the idea of changing the world. But remember, you don’t have to quit your job and join the Peace Corps to make a difference. Sometimes, it doesn’t need to be the world, but it impacts one person’s world and life. Even that can be a lot, which can be right here in your community. Simply start with small, meaningful actions. Volunteer for local organizations on the weekends or look for community groups that need help. It’s about finding that sense of purpose.
Leverage Your Skills
Think about the skills you’ve developed in your career. How can you use them to help others? Maybe you’re great at organizing events, crunching numbers, or designing websites. There are countless non-profits and charities that could benefit from your expertise. How about considering offering your professional skills pro bono? It can be incredibly rewarding and can help you feel more connected to the work you’re doing.
Consider a Career Change
Yes, we’re going there! So, why not take this into consideration? Yes, it’s bold, maybe even brash, but you live once, and if you want to change the world and make your community a better place, this could be a nice way to start.
Plus, who knows, maybe your skills are transferable, and you don’t always need to go back to school for years of education either (unless you want to). For example, you can jumpstart your EMT career, which doesn’t take years to achieve either; you could even look into becoming a firefighter, working for a non-profit, or maybe even starting your own non-profit! The choice is entirely up to you.
Integrate Purpose into Your Work
Is a career change too much? For some, it can be hard to get a job, and sometimes, it can still be hard to get one once you quit your current job (sadly, ageism is a big factor in the workplace). Even if your job doesn’t seem like it has a direct impact on making the world a better place, you can still find ways to integrate purpose into your work. Why not start right at work?
For example, you could organize charity events or propose volunteer days where your company can give back to the community. These can definitely make a significant impact!