Our worst fear is not that we are inadequate,
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God; your playing small doesn’t serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some of us, it is in everyone,
And as we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.
(From Marianne Williamson’s "A Return to Love." My favorite quote of all time)
Throughout history, we have been very good at seeing how we are "separate" from our fellow beings. We see people of another race, or gender, or culture, or religion, or age, and we label them as "different." This leads to an "us versus them" mindset. But the reality is, there is no "them."
We are all, really, the same: members of the human species. And we all live together on the same planet. And our planet -- our home -- is in trouble. We have abused and polluted our biosphere. We have abused the other life forms sharing this world with us, other species of plant and animal life. And we have abused each other--through racial hatred, through religious wars, through age discrimination, and gender discrimination, and through greed and the misuse of power.
It’s time that we recognized the fact that we are all in this together. It’s time that we opened our eyes, and opened our minds. We need to learn to see beyond the superficial "differences" between people, and learn to work together in cooperation and harmony.
Listed below are a variety of suggestions that any person can use to contribute to the greater good. Browse through the list, and work with any of the ideas that feel right to you. You certainly don’t have to do all of them -- the point is simply to be aware that every little bit adds to the collective well-being of our world. Making even small changes in our habits can make a big difference! When we all strive to bring an attitude of higher awareness to our daily lives, it becomes easy to find ways to uplift ourselves, uplift each other, and uplift our planet.
By uplifting yourself and the people around you, you will in turn encourage others to do the same, generating positive actions and stimulating people to care about global concerns and make a difference in the lives of others. These effects will create chain reactions -- as one individual becomes healthier, happier and less troubled, he or she has more time, energy and a positive mental attitude for uplifting others. As one individual is encouraged to become involved in a worthy cause by volunteering his or her time, many other people will be helped along the way. As one person becomes aware of a specific problem or need, he or she will tell others and spread the word. And thus a network of caring individuals and organizations is created, all over the world, using the power of the Internet to link us together as a "global village."
Let me give you an example that illustrates how easy it can be to inspire people: One person who is very much in tune with the concept of using your abilities to help others is Oprah Winfrey. One day I turned on the TV to check the weather forecast, and before I could change the channel I saw that Oprah’s show was on and was featuring "random acts of kindness." There were many inspiring stories, but I’ll just mention one here that is a perfect example of how one person can spontaneously bring about positive changes in others: In this segment, Ms. Winfrey placed a hidden camera in a tollbooth, paid the toll for the next 50 cars behind hers, and filmed the reactions of the motorists. And something wonderful happened: When the tollbooth attendant told people that an anonymous stranger had paid their tolls for them as a random act of kindness, it instantly inspired many of these people to turn around and continue the act of kindness by saying, "Take my money anyway. Use it to pay the toll for the next person in line."
It’s that simple. Small acts of lovingkindness lead to more acts of lovingkindness; people’s spirits are uplifted; suddenly we all feel more hope for the world, and more desire to reach out to each other in fellowship.
I invite all of you to take a look at the "global citizenship" suggestions below and see if you can get "inspired." I also invite you to send in your own ideas for projects, and we will add them to this website. Simply e-mail your ideas to GlobalPeaceToday@aol.com, and type "Global Citizenship Suggestion" in the subject box. Be sure to state your full name and where you’re from so we can give you credit for your idea! (Note: Please send your ideas within the e-mail itself, as we do not open e-mails with files attached.) You may also send information by regular mail to: The Global Citizenship Project, P.O. Box 22, Mountain Lakes NJ, 07046-0022.
* Every morning, before you start your day, pause and ask yourself, "How am I going to give today?" This will put you in the frame of mind to look for opportunities to help others or contribute to the world throughout the day.
* Don’t keep love hidden inside your heart. Tell your family members and your friends that you love them. Tell the loved ones you see daily, and give them lots of hugs. Call the loved ones who live farther away just to say "I love you." These are three words that can never be said often enough. You can also send loved ones special cards or e-mails on any ordinary day letting them know what they mean to you.
* Develop an attitude of appreciation. When you get up in the morning, thank your body for serving you so well; thank your heart for beating, and your lungs for breathing, and your eyes for seeing, and so forth. Give thanks for your food at every meal: thank the earth for providing the food, thank the farmers for growing it, and thank the food itself for providing you with nutrients and sustenance. When you drive to work, thank your car for getting you there. When you go to bed at night, appreciate your soft pillow and your nice warm blankets. And so on. When you get into the habit of acknowledging all the good you have in your life, every day becomes a good day.
* Practice extending appreciation to people you encounter in your daily life. All too often, we take for granted the many people who make our daily lives run smoothly: the crossing guard or bus driver who helps get the kids to school safely each day, the dry cleaner who always has your shirts ready for you on time, the teacher who gives students extra help when they’re struggling with math, and so forth. Thank these people for the wonderful service they provide for you. Better yet, write them a card or give them a small gift as a token of your appreciation. And be sure to pass on your praise to their employers as well: For example, if you dine out and your waitress is especially helpful and friendly, find out her name and let the manager of the restaurant know how wonderful the service was and how this waitress brightened your day. It’s amazing how uplifted people feel when they receive a simple pat on the back, so take the time to do it.
* Phone calls work, too. Call someone just to tell them that they’re a really special person and you’re glad you know them. Call your mechanic a week after your car was serviced to thank him or her for doing such a great job fixing your car. Call your hairdresser to say how much you love your haircut and that you’ve been getting lots of compliments on it. Let people know that your life is better because of something they did for you.
* Wherever you go, smile at people. It’s such a simple little gesture, yet it really brightens people’s day. You will feel uplifted, and so will the people around you.
* Send a letter to a teacher or mentor who particularly inspired you, even if it was many years ago. There is no greater reward for teachers than finding out that they made a difference in their students’ lives.
* Participate in the weekly group prayer sessions for planetary healing and world peace on this website. Readers are asked to work together by praying, meditating or visualizing at specific dates and times for specific goals benefiting the planet as a whole. This project is open to all people regardless of religious or spiritual background. Please check it out: (click)
* Here’s a great consciousness-raising exercise: Pretend we live in a world where everyone is telepathic. If you knew that other people could hear your thoughts, would you be so quick to walk around thinking disparaging thoughts about others? Being aware of unkind thoughts helps you eliminate them. In any situation, all you have to do is ask yourself if you’d be embarrassed if the other person knew what you were thinking, and if the answer is yes, work on shifting your thoughts to something more benevolent.
* Hate doing household chores? Most of us do. But we can turn our daily chores into acts of love and higher meaning. For example, when you’re washing dishes, you can imagine that you are washing away all of the hatred in the world. While vacuuming, you can pretend you’re vacuuming all the negative energy out of your environment. When you’re shopping in a store, imagine that you are leaving a trail of positive energy up and down each aisle that will uplift all the other shoppers. Sending out all of this positive energy does make a difference.
* Explore self-improvement techniques, such as ways to develop inner serenity, effectively manage anger and frustration, set and achieve goals, reduce anxiety, eliminate negative habits, enhance creativity, etc. There are thousands of books, tapes, and workshops that can help you achieve greater happiness. What does helping yourself have to do with helping the world? It’s very basic: we all tend to share more and give more when our own lives contain more serenity, joy, and abundance.
* Share positive, uplifting information with others: If you read a book that turns out to be particularly helpful to you, buy several copies and give them to friends and family. You can also write a letter to your local newspaper editors asking them to publish a review of that book so that others will hear about it. Finally, consider donating a copy to a prison library -- people whose lives have taken a wrong turn can benefit tremendously by having something positive to read.
* Have you overcome a difficult challenge or circumstance in your life? There are many other people out there who are probably struggling with the same issues, and you can help them get through it by sharing your story and the techniques that helped you. You could write an article about what helped you heal this aspect of your life, and offer it to relevant newspapers and magazines. You can also offer to tell your story in person to groups of people who might benefit from hearing it. There’s no better way to give someone hope than by showing them evidence that a problem they are struggling with can be overcome.
* Encourage other people to learn about "global consciousness." Ask your friends to check out this website. Make a particular point to tell schoolteachers and parents, because there are so many projects here that they can use to help children grow up to be "global citizens." Also, if you know any newspaper or magazine editors, let them know about this website -- perhaps they’ll make mention of "The Global Citizenship Project" in their publications.
* If you’re involved with any project or organization in your hometown that makes a difference, spread the word and get other people involved. By sending out periodic news releases to your local media, you can invite people who live close-by to participate in your programs, and encourage additional people to duplicate your efforts in other communities.
* Buy cruelty-free products (products not tested on animals) and environmentally safe products (there are many detergents, for example, that are not harmful to the planet’s water supplies).
* Dedicate just one hour per month to doing something that benefits others. Choose an activity that has meaning to you, and make it a part of your regular monthly schedule. You could do volunteer work in your community, for example. There are many organizations that do good works, and they can always use an extra pair of hands. Or you can use a particular skill or talent of yours to uplift others. If you are a singer, you could perform at a nursing home. Do you know how to do magic tricks? Go to a children’s hospital and cheer up the kids. Can you knit? Make blankets for a homeless shelter. Giving doesn’t have to be financial. Often, giving your time and talents to others can be much more valuable to them. (www.volunteermatch.org can help you find all kinds of organizations in your local area that could use volunteers. They even have volunteer projects you can do from home -- you wouldn’t even have to leave the house in order to make a difference!)
* Visit people in hospitals and nursing homes. People who are lonely or ill can greatly benefit from companionship, comfort and simple attention.
* If you’re over 18, fill out an organ donor card, carry it in your wallet, and most importantly, notify your family of your wish to be an organ donor. Every year thousands of people die because there is a shortage of healthy organs, and by becoming a donor, you can save a life after you pass on. (visit www.unos.org for more information. UNOS is the United Network for Organ Sharing, and can help you register as an organ donor)
* Another way you can be a huge help to your community is by donating blood. Stop by your local hospital or blood bank on your way home from work once every few months and give a pint.
* There is a website called "The Hunger Site" that is helping thousands of people every day. Various corporate sponsors pay for food to be sent to the hungry (the website also sponsors several other humanitarian causes), and their donations are based on the number of people who visit the site each day. All you have to do is log onto www.thehungersite.com and click the icon that says "Donate Food." It costs you no money and only takes a minute of your time to make sure that hungry souls get to eat each day, so please visit this website daily, and please tell your friends, too!
* Are you feeling blue? Having a bad day? Go help someone else. Nothing will pull you out of your own misery faster than making someone else’s life better. "When we participate in helping others, we experience the sublime joy of connectedness and inner beauty. Make this category a must in your [life]. When you are feeling empty about your life, you are not in touch with the fact that you make a difference. By simply reaching out, you eventually live into this feeling." -- Susan Jeffers
* Recycle whatever you can. Reuse cardboard boxes to ship packages. Use the back of junk-mail to write on: grocery lists, phone messages, etc. Any item that is still useful (clothing, furniture, appliances), donate to the Salvation Army or some other organization that collects items for those in need (they’ll come right to your house to pick items up. It’s so easy to donate!). Use old T-shirts as cleaning rags. Donate old carpeting to an animal shelter. When your kids outgrow certain toys, donate the toys to a children’s hospital. And so forth. Before you throw anything out, ask yourself if this item might be useful to anyone else.
* Cut back on watching TV. How many times have you sat channel surfing or watching shows that you didn’t really care all that much about? Unless there’s a show on that you really, really want to see, try replacing some of your TV viewing time with other activities: Read a book, take a walk, play a game with your kids, call your grandparents to chat, meditate, learn to play a musical instrument, learn a foreign language, write a love letter, listen to music, cook a gourmet meal. Watching TV is a very passive activity, and if you do a little less of it, you will have more time to live your life.
* Spend time each week reading books and/or watching movies that uplift you. Anything that inspires you and fosters positive thinking will automatically help you be happier and more loving in your day-to-day life. (There are many recommended books and movies listed on this website.)
* Consider a career that make a difference. There are many professions that revolve around contributing to the well-being of others. Even "non-humanitarian" vocations can still contribute if you choose to work for a company that makes a difference. For example, if you’re a bookkeeper, you could work in the accounting department of a company that manufactures environmentally-friendly products. No matter what you do for a living, ANY career path can incorporate SOMETHING to help others. Be creative. One of the best stories I ever heard was about a bed-and-breakfast (I wish I could remember the name of the place) that adopted 20 cats from the local pound and offered guests the option of having a cat in their room for the night. The guests loved it, and 20 cats that would have been destroyed at the pound got to live happy lives, loved and cared for by many people.
* Do little things just to brighten people’s day. Send them a funny e-mail. Cut articles out of newspapers and magazines that particular people might like to read. Compile a birthday calendar and send a card to everyone you know on their birthday. Also send cards of congratulations whenever something good happens to a friend, and send sympathy cards if someone is going through a rough time. Do little things just to show people that you’re there, and you care.
* Stop the "chain of pain." What do I mean by this? It seems to be a common habit in this society that many of our conversations revolve around a never-ending series of complaints we have about our lives. But what good is this doing? None, really. It’s actually making everything worse. When something annoys you, worries you, or depresses you, and you talk about this to all your friends, now they are annoyed, worried, or depressed, too! It’s like a bad chain letter that goes from person to person to person. Stop filling your conversations with endless complaints and burdening others with all this negative energy.
* Refrain from making jokes that put people down, and refrain from gossiping about other people in a negative way. Remember the old adage, "If you can’t say something nice about someone, then don’t say anything at all." Try to live by this statement. Don’t initiate conversations that "bash" other people, and don’t participate if your friends start such conversations.
* Don’t get on your own case, either. It’s unrealistic to expect yourself to be "perfect," to always be kind and helpful, to always do all the "right" things. Simply learn when you are ready to learn, change when you are ready to change, grow at your own pace, and give whatever it is you are able to give at any given time. But also recognize that there may be days when you’re just not feeling altruistic and saintly, and don’t guilt-trip yourself over being human!
* Work on balancing and unifying your so-called "masculine" and "feminine" sides -- we all have both sets of qualities inherent in our potential. Acknowledging your many facets will make you a more "whole" person. Society tends to suppress entire aspects of our essential nature and potential based on our gender, and this is damaging to all of us. Many women, for example, are taught to always be nice and put others first; therefore, they may need to work on strengthening their assertiveness and leadership skills (I see so many women "disrespect" themselves by making their own needs and opinions irrelevant). Men, on the other hand, are often taught to be strong and tough and competitive, and may need to work on becoming more supportive, nurturing, and receptive to others’ needs (I’ve heard so many people complain that their fathers never showed them love and affection. This is a tragic state of affairs.) And of course our world has a long history of hostile relationships between the genders. It’s time that we learn to equally value our so-called masculine and feminine traits, recognize that we can all benefit if each of us becomes more well-rounded, and commit to acting together in harmony using all of humanity’s potential in order to create a better world.
* Share your knowledge. For example, do you own a business? Offer to mentor a small business owner. Are you an accountant? Offer to give a free lecture on tax tips. Pediatric nurse? Give a free class on child health tips for parents. Do you garden as a hobby? Offer to teach others how to grow their own vegetables. Find ways to share your expertise -- it will be fun, and you’ll make new friends in the process.
* If you have knowledge in any area that could be helpful to children, call your local schools and offer to give a presentation on that topic. Let your local schoolteachers know you’re available -- they generally welcome interesting guest speakers.
* I once bought a package of little angel pins, and gave them out to anyone who seemed to need a "guardian angel" to help them with their problems. These little pins only cost about 75 cents each, but they sure did pick up people’s spirits!
* If you have the extra cash, pick up a stranger’s check in a restaurant, anonymously. Especially if the person looks sad or stressed out. Remind those who are down in the dumps that there are lots of loving, caring people in this world.
* If you have one of those rugged four-wheel-drive vehicles that can go anywhere in bad weather conditions, next time it snows call your local hospital and offer to transport doctors and nurses to work who might not be able to get there in their regular vehicles. (You can do the same for police officers and firefighters.) Help keep your community running by getting essential personnel to work safely.
* If you’d like to team up with other people in doing good deeds, take a look at the ideas listed in the "Community Projects" section of this website. Perhaps you’ll find a project there that you could initiate with a group of your friends and neighbors. Doing good things for the world is always more fun in groups!