It’s time to get out of your comfort zone. Yeah, I know, sounds trite, and you wonder: why bother?
Consider all the requests you get for help (whether someone is trying to sell you something or not.) I get a lot – you probably do too. I try to answer all of them – because you never know when the person to whom you offer 15 minutes of time will turn out to be a life-long connection or friend.
Some of the most interesting stories I’ve read in the last several months have profiled people who give back, and in the process, meet many more people than they ever would have met before. Volunteering can even improve your lifespan.
But even if you think that the goal of giving back or getting out of your comfort zone is not to help yourself, it can be about helping yourself by helping others. Consider The Generosity Project – an art project of sorts where an Artist named Michael Swaine offers to fix buttons and do mending on a San Francisco Street corner for free. Or 29 Ways to Commit Random Acts of Kindness – a manifesto for helping others, just because you think it’s a good thing. Or Network for Good – a way to find opportunities to help around the world. Or Sparked – a way to help right from your phone.
Whether you help people by giving time, money, or just a friendly word, it will make a difference because it will force you to get out of your comfort zone and to respond to another person. Who knows: you just might learn something and make a valued difference. Try it today!
