I usually do the writing for my Monday morning posts over the weekend, and if you’re a regular reader of this site, you’ll understand that with the interviews, research, writing, and image searching, it can take me a fair amount of time to put each article together.
Well, this weekend I decided that I was going to break from the usual rigor of my writing schedule, and just write whenever and whatever I felt like. So here I am, Saturday night, sitting on my friend’s couch while a party rages around me. Well, maybe not “rages,” exactly. I don’t get out much, so I probably can’t tell the difference between a raging party and a mildly energetic one. 
So here’s the topic I feel like talking about today: community.
As many of you know, I’m the founder of a group of people who participate in weekly activities to make a positive impact in the lives of those around us. After we complete our activity for the week, many of us share our experiences on a group discussion board. Today, one of our members (we’ll call her “Shara”, though that’s not her name) told me that she participates in every activity we do, but wondered how important it was that we share our results in the forum.
Her question got me thinking about the bigger picture of what we’re trying to do, and I think the answer I gave her is valuable enough to share with everyone. These are my own thoughts, but I’d love to hear yours as well.
The goal of this site and this group is to change the world. We’re doing this right now by performing small actions that make a difference in people’s lives, and hopefully as we grow, we’ll be able to make an even bigger impact as part of a large, organized group. Sharing the results of what we do is very important because it enables us to grow and learn from one another. The only way to keep this “world-changing” attitude sustainable is to make a change in ourselves first. Doing nice things for other people is great, but what happens when we get bored with it? Once we get bored, it will be all too easy to simply quit, unless we’ve gotten to the point where living for others has actually become a part of who we are.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m no preacher or self-help guru — I’m just trying to figure out how to make a difference in this world. And one thing I do know is that belonging to a community of people who share the same goal as you do is a good way to stay motivated and keep pushing yourself.
A community that shares its knowledge with all of its members while in pursuit of a common goal is a powerful force for helping us break free from any self-imposed barriers we may have in our minds. Hearing what others are doing gives us multiple perspectives from which to view our task, and will help all of us be more effective in fulfilling our mission. Plus, it’s a huge morale booster to hear all the touching stories people share. It’s really nice to know that the things we do really make an impact in people’s lives.
So keep talking, guys.
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