Little Things Make a Difference!

What are some "little things" that make a real difference?

Being affectionate- Giving hugs to someone who needs one.  A daily kiss showing genuine love to your spouse or significant other instead of just a casual peck or none at all is priceless in the difference it will make in your relationship.

Voting in elections -both local and national.

Planting a tree to provide shade and enjoyment for generations to come.

Showing support for others in various ways- a note, words, applause, a testimonial or referral, or any other way you can think of.

 Paying focused attention to those who are speaking to you instead of letting your mind wander or doing other things at the same time is a real difference-maker too.

Letting someone go ahead of you in a line, or letting someone in when there is heavy traffic.

Holding the door open for someone.

Always putting the toilet seat down and flushing! (Others will definitely appreciate you for this. LOL)

Seeing how many times in one day that you can offer to help someone else without them having to ask you first. Be proactive in finding ways to help that you don't usually do. You'll feel terrific!

Using your intuition and reasoning skills to figure out who to phone who would really appreciate hearing from you. This might be someone who's going through a challenging time or is lonely, a family member who is far away at the moment, or a friend you haven't heard from in a while. Call them!

Doing the very best job you can no matter what it is.  Whether you are a homemaker, self-employed, have a "regular job," or are just doing chores on your day off, you will make a difference if you give it your best effort. The same holds true for relationships- give your best.

Watching the words you use and your tone of voice. Sometimes we say things we don't mean, are not clear enough in what we say for others to know what we mean, utter hurtful things, etc.  We even sometimes put ourselves down with our talk! Instead, make a difference by being more positive, encouraging, and expressing accurately what we really want others to hear. Build people up!

Hanging around people who inspire you, share the same interests and values, and are fun to be around. As much as possible stay away from those who are unsupportive and who make you feel bad inside.

Paying attention to your self-talk. This takes a lot of practice and is an ongoing exercise. When you catch yourself berating yourself or thinking negative thoughts that are full of doubts about your abilities and  that sound like someone with low self-worth re-frame them to be supportive of yourself. For example, You have the thought that " I'm so stupid. I can't ever do anything right." You re-frame that to "I'm actually quite intelligent. I made a mistake and it's not a big deal. I will do better next time." Also make sure to believe this about yourself. This one thing can make a huge difference in your own life and also pass on to help others.

All of these above ideas will make a difference. I'm certain you can think of others. Try one today!

What can you do in one hour?

Every one of us keeps busy these days. It is easy to make excuses at to why we don't have enough time to help others or causes we believe in.  The thing is, a majority of us do want to make a difference, and we realize that it is at least a part of our purpose for living on this earth.

Here are a few ideas I came up with that can be done in only one hour. This could be one time only, or you could do them more frequently. Whether you choose to do one of these ideas I've listed, or come up with one of your own, I challenge you to find that hour and get started this month. :)

To help the environment: You can help weed a community garden this summer or plant flowers/herbs/fruit/or trees in your own yard or local community. If you have your own garden, make sure to share part of what you grow with others. Another idea is to pick a specific location to walk and pick up trash. (Make sure to wear gloves, and see if someone else wants to join you for this project to make it more fun.) Starting your own compost pile or recycling of plastic, glass,paper,etc. would be another good use of an hour. These gardening options will require an hour or less on a regular basis and probably are not a one time only option.

To help animals: Call your local animal shelter and offer them one hour of your time to help out. They may need someone to walk dogs, change cat litter, answer telephones, or other tasks.

To help people: Visit those folks who have no or few visitors in places such as prisons,nursing homes, hospitals, or are shut-ins in a private home. There may be a local hospital that would love to have you come and rock newborn babies to help out.Your gift of being with them, caring about them, and taking an interest in them with your undivided attention for 60 minutes will mean a lot. An alternative to this for those who are shy or don't care to be around people in person is to write someone a card and mail it. Be a regular penpal or only send a card one time to let them know they are being thought about. You can ask your friends, neighbors, local churches, schools, and others to find out about those who would appreciate receiving a visit or card in the mail.

Teach a Sunday School Class weekly for an hour or find out if your church has something you can do that would only take an hour one time. This could be helping at an event, doing a chore inside or out the church building, phoning people, or even driving someone to and from a service.

Help prepare, serve food, or clean up at a soup kitchen in your area. You could also help with other food programs such as SHARE, clothes drives, Thanksgiving or Christmas community dinners, local events,etc.

Volunteer to help children learn to read at your local elementary school, help a teacher grade papers, assist with a school field trip, be a Scout leader or assistant, make an education presentation on a topic you are knowledgeable and experienced in, read for a children's hour at your public library, or fill in as a guest speaker when someone else has to cancel for a business event.

Go through your clothes closet and bag or box those you can donate to Goodwill or someplace else on your next trip past their facility. Do the same with canned and boxed goods from your own kitchen food pantry.

Offer ice cold water free to passersby on a hot sunny summer's day. Babysit an hour for free so a mother or father can have a much-needed break. Invite people over to dinner for a home-cooked meal. Adopt a family at Christmastime to buy gifts for. It should take an hour or less to shop and wrap the presents.

Donating an hour of your services or talents is another terrific way to help others. Whether you do repair work, tutoring, plumbing, business or life coaching, artwork, hairstyling, makeup and nails, massage,or something else entirely,there are people out there who cannot afford it who would so be appreciative of having a hand up.

The possibilities of helping in only one hour are endless! What will you choose to do for this one hour challenge?